


The Golden Palace

by Indehed



Series: Vice [2]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Extremely Dubious Consent, M/M, Undercover As Prostitute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-03-11 07:06:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 30
Words: 91,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3318506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indehed/pseuds/Indehed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been three years since McGarrett swooped into Danny's Vice Operation. Three years since Danny ended up as a member of Five-0 in the process, and now Delano's patch has been taken over by a new player and Fryer's Human Trafficking task force needs Five-0's help to catch him - because he's more ruthless than Delano ever was and has no qualms about selling ANYONE in order to make his profit. Danny is asked to go back undercover at the Golden Palace, get close and get a name, that's all. But things take a turn for the worse when the new boss shows up unexpectedly and Danny finds himself on a plane leaving Hawaii...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have tagged the fic as non-con to be safe. It is definitely non-consensual but at the same time, Danny knows exactly what he's doing and why and does 'agree' as it were. If you have any worry about it before you start reading, feel free to message me and I'll explain, but I don't want to spoil the fic for anyone by putting it out there so visibly. I will warn for it being rather disgusting in places. I think those who know what I've been writing are still shuddering from some of it, so I guess... you've been warned...
> 
> Unfortunately I've not been able to get this beta'd. A lot of it is written, I'd say about two thirds? And I'm still constantly writing. It's been alpha'd by LandonRichardson and Tulipgirl and I thank them for their insight and cheerleading! They were very helpful over aftermath issues but telling me I'm awesome always helps too, lol. Any grammatical and spelling mistakes are certainly my own, even though I hope I caught the majority of them since I've read over it a million times...
> 
> This is the sequel I never intended to write. Even when I got an idea for the sequel well, this wasn't actually it. It morphed. I'm not sure what happened....

Danny was leaning down over the computer table, one hand propping up his head as he watched Chin sync Danny's new phone with the software Five-0 used. He didn't have much of an idea how it worked, just that it did and that this was all Steve's fault for breaking Danny's last phone. That and so long as Chin put all the backed up photos of Grace onto the new one for him, he'd buy the guy's lunch.

He spun the phone in front of him, only for Chin's hand to reach out and stop him. "Hey, it won't get done properly if you mess around like that."

Danny pushed up from the table, hands up. "Sorry, man. I'm leaving it alone."

At Chin's breathed out 'good', both of their attentions were pulled to the main doors as they swung open, a familiar face barreling into the office.

"Captain Fryer," Danny greeted his old boss with surprise. It had been over three years since he'd worked for the man directly, and they'd not had a huge amount of contact since. With Danny now at Five-0, he didn't see a lot of the Vice squad. Last he'd heard, Fryer had moved onto a new position, heading up a Human Trafficking task force. "It's been a while," he acknowledged as he headed around the table to shake the man's hand. 

"Good to see you, Danny. You keeping out of trouble?"

Danny widened his eyes and shot Chin a quick look, only to see the man try to hide a smile. "More like the opposite with McGarrett around, but what can you do. What brings you here?"

"I need your help."

"Mine or Five-0?" Danny asked as he eyed the file folders tucked under Fryer's arm.

"Yours," Fryer said. "Where is McGarrett anyway?"

"In a meeting with the Governor."

"Good," Fryer took the files from under his arm and put them on the table in front of Danny. "Because if what I hear about how he is with his team is correct, he's not going to like this."

"Not the most rousing of sales pitches," Danny eyed Fryer wearily then reached down for the top file, lifting it and opening it. He took a breath when he saw the details inside. "The Golden Palace," he said, resignedly. 

"It's been a long time, and you know how these things work. With Delano in jail, his rivals stepped in and took over his spots. Including the Golden Palace."

Danny nodded. "It was expected, I know, but I thought even from prison he'd hold onto that place, have someone run it for him."

"It lay empty for a while but it opened up again under new management. Seems there's a new player in town and he's a complete unknown. We've been trying for over a year and nothing. We can't even get a goddamn initial, let alone a name."

"Wait, what's the Golden Palace?" Chin asked, interrupting. 

Danny turned to him. "It is… _**was**_ , Delano's headquarters. The place Steve raided and first found me with him? It's the private club he hung out at the most and used as his main office."

"Ah. I remember. The place you and Steve first... You know."

Danny rolled his eyes at Chin's comment. "Yes, that place." He turned back to Fryer. "And as fun as it is to stroll down memory lane and to find out what's happened to the place since, I still don't know why you're here telling me all of this."

"Check the second file," Fryer indicated and Danny switched over to it, opening it to reveal five licenses with pictures of Chinese women he didn't recognize. "My task force went in as inspectors. Did the usual health and licensing checks. Those ones there came back as fake when we ran them at the precinct. We went back only to find the girls were gone. Manager said she had no idea they were phony and the girls had just quit and taken off."

"Bull crap," Danny snorted.

"Precisely. And there's been no sign of them since. They aren't the first either, just the most recent. Not just Chinese immigrants, but street kids, too. As well as regular girls from street corners, some of the guys… there's been a lot more coming in lately, but that means there's also a lot going out and it's been indiscriminate and without hesitation."

"So what do you need me for?" Danny asked. There wasn't a huge amount he could consult them on. Everything he knew about Delano's operation had been documented in his reports, and like Fryer had indicated; things had changed. There was no comparing the new guys with Delano. He didn't know who they were or the extent of their operation.

"I want to put you back in. When we extracted you, it was only Delano and Murphy who'd worked out you were a cop and they didn't tell their staff. Everything at the trials was done keeping you as anonymous as possible so no one knows you were the UC. Some of the girls from before are working there again and we suspect the new management are foreign, they don't know Delano's history with you. Hell, they're barely here as it is, running the whole set up from afar. Getting you back in is easy and fast and that's what I need."

"Getting him out isn't," came Steve's booming voice. The man could be a ninja when he wanted to be, slipping through doors quietly, and Danny had watched him enter while Fryer spoke, eyes getting darker the more he'd heard. "Which is why it's out of the question."

"Five-0 is turning down a case?" Fryer asked, like he'd rehearsed how to ruffle Steve's feathers. "Hey, I did you a favor by coming here and asking nicely, but if you want me to, I can go to the Governor and ask him instead. You know where he'll land on this."

Danny sucked in a breath between gritted teeth. He knew just how bad an idea it was to threaten to go over Steve's head like that. He hated to be boxed into a corner, which was why he went toe to toe with Fryer and crossed his arms while Danny watched. "Five-0 is my team. What they do is up to me and I say this is too big a risk to take."

"No bigger than when we kept him under before. Back when you barely knew him. Tell me, McGarrett," Fryer stepped up impossibly closer, not backing down either. "Would you be so worried for him if he wasn't your permanent fuck buddy?"

Steve growled and was about to grab for Fryer when Danny intervened. "Whoa. Hey, now," he placed himself between them. "Tempers seem to be a little frayed, hackles are raised, and for once they aren't mine. How about we take a step back from each others' personal space, take a breath and try to keep the insults to a minimum."

It took a few seconds of staring until they began to back off from one another. 

"Danny doesn't want to do it, I don't want him to do it, end of," Steve put it succinctly. It was true, Danny wasn't keen on wading back into that world after what he'd done before, but he wasn't happy that Steve spoke for him and he shot him a look that said so.

He put his hands on his hips. "I disappeared from the scene when Delano got arrested. You don't think that looks suspicious?"

Fryer scoffed. "Easily explained with a good cover story. Look, rumor has it that the big boss is going to be here soon to see his operation. I need someone inside to find out who the hell this is and how to take him down. I don't have time to establish a new cover identity, that's why I need you on this, Danny. You already have an in. If we miss this opportunity who knows how many other kids and girls are going to disappear before we get another one."

Danny sighed. And there it was. The guilt trip that was always bound to work on him; bring up the lives in danger and he'd do his best to help. If that meant being his hooker UC identity again then so be it. He turned and gave Steve a look that was easily interpreted by the other man. 

"I just said 'no', Danny. I'm not changing my mind because of a window of opportunity," Steve said indignantly. 

Danny turned back to Fryer. "Can you give me some time with this?"

"Sure, but not long. I need to get someone on the streets tonight."

"Just a couple of hours, okay?" Danny asked and Fryer nodded before turning to leave. "Oh, and Captain?" He called after him. "You ever refer to me as McGarrett's fuck buddy again and I'll punch you in the face so hard, the shiner you'll have will be as permanent as a tattoo, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Fryer half-growled as he left, banging through the doors.

Danny turned his head in the other direction and watched as Steve stalked into his office, echoing the banging of doors, leaving only Chin and himself in the main office, wincing at the sounds as they reverberated around them. 

"For what it's worth, I agree with Steve," Chin put in, having been quiet for some time.

"Well, there's a shock."

"There's no guarantee that your cover is still good, nor that they'll accept you back in after three years. On top of that we have no idea who this new boss is or how ruthless, but from what we do know, he sounds worse than Delano. Is it any wonder Steve doesn't want you involved in this?"

"No, it's not," Danny agreed. "And if this was about him or you and Kono I'd have the same reservations and I get them, I do. But I worked Vice a long time, here and in Jersey and I know what I'm doing."

"You do, and he knows that, the problem is going to be convincing him to put you back in."

"Because we're together and I'll likely have to do… stuff."

"That and because you're his partner. Having eyes and ears on you is one thing, but he's got used to being at your back full time, not being in the van while you go out there on your own."

Danny glanced at where Steve was passive aggressively typing on his computer. "I think I'm going to give him a little time." He grabbed the files that Fryer had left. "Get up to speed on things first."

*

Danny had been sitting at his desk for half an hour, reading through the material properly, finding out more about this new manageress at the Golden Palace. She seemed to be running a tight ship and had no qualms in carrying out orders from above to deal with any potential problems. She had a head for law and psychology going by the transcripts from the court case against the Palace's code violations. He wasn't sure she'd be so easily won over like Delano and Murphy had been, but he'd been more prepared going up against them and knew what they liked. This woman was new and her boss was a complete unknown. Whatever he came up with would be in the moment and he just hoped he could act it convincingly. 

After all, it had been a while since he'd spent time in this arena. 

The op against Delano had been the biggest he'd been involved in for a long time; using it as a coping mechanism while Grace was away and he was alone on the Island. Before that, he'd been a street corner UC a few times with a decent controller and back up in two cars. Those were just basic sting operations that lasted no more than a few hours of a night and all he ever had to worry about was getting the johns on tape negotiating sex for money then he was in the clear. Things like the Delano op were different, and meant he got a lot more involved, giving himself fully to the op. He'd only ever done two in Jersey and then Delano, and the second one in Jersey? It was only for a week but it had been a factor in his divorce, as Rachel found it difficult to cope with aspects of his job.

He sighed. He'd met Steve during an op and they'd had sex with each other for it and that had spawned whatever the heck they called their relationship now, three years later. Could he go under again? Knowing he might have to get more involved with clients, johns, even the bosses? Could Steve handle it or could it wreck their relationship?

He looked over at Steve's office. If the man's attitude so far was an indication, the answer was no, because it seemed he couldn't even handle the _thought_ of it, let alone the actuality. 

But Fryer didn't say Danny had to stay under long term, just enough to get the information they needed and all that could be done in a matter of a few days, maybe a week. Could he really be in for a rough ride in just that short amount of time?

He picked up the files and left his office, heading to Steve's. He rapped lightly, opening the door before Steve was able to acknowledge him properly. 

He dropped the files in front of the other man. "The op is outlined in the top file. I just need to get names, faces, whatever details I can on the boss and, if possible, a location of the bodies or the trafficker whose taking them out of the country again. I get in, I snoop, I get out."

"I don't like it," Steve said, looking at the file then dropping it back onto his desk disgustedly. 

"They just need a quick in. Then I come back to Five-0, I help with whoever they recruit to go in longer term and then I'm done with it. It might not take long at all."

"Grace?"

"You know she's in Las Vegas with Rachel for the first half of her summer vacation."

Steve wiped his hands down his face, pulling at the skin under his eyes and then shaking his head. "Even taking our… _**status**_ , out of the equation, I still don't see how this is remotely a good idea. There's too many unknowns."

"You've worked with plenty of unknowns before. And I know you always have my back, so I feel perfectly safe."

"Don't use logic or flattery on me, you know I don't like it when you do that."

Danny kept smiling at him, batting his eyelashes a little and trying not to let out a laugh at Steve's sulking face.

"You're backing me into a corner. You and Fryer."

Danny licked his lips and his smile faded. "No, I'm not. I don't want to do this, Steve, I don't. I'd even rather go to the beach than do this, but it's my job, this is what I used to do most often before you kidnapped me into Five-0 so I know I can do it and maybe some lives can be helped in the process. I trust that you guys are going to be at my back and by next week I'm sure we'll be hurtling down Kuhio in a high speed chase with you wrecking my poor car's tires."

"You promise?" Steve asked.

"Cross my heart."


	2. Chapter 2

"Chloe and Connie!" Danny walked up to the girls, arms wide and a smile on his face. "Still at it I see."

"Danny?" Chloe practically squealed, her long blonde hair whipping in her face as she jumped up and down on the street corner. 

"Oh my god, it's been forever," Connie said, slightly more at ease, but considering the red-wigged girl had on a very low cut top and huge heels to mask her small stature, she couldn't show excitement without hurting herself. 

The girls hugged Danny, rubbing hands against his back, covered as it was in just a thin, black wife beater that rippled over his black jeans.

"You haven't changed a bit! Still rocking the slick," Chloe motioned to his hair. "But what happened to you? You just disappeared off the face of the Earth."

"I went back East. But there's only so many cold winters I could take. I had to come back," he said as he wrapped an arm around Chloe's waist. "I hoped to find familiar faces around."

"You need a job?" Connie asked. 

"I could use some cash," Danny nodded, letting go of the girls and putting his hands in his pockets. "I don't know who's in charge of Delano's patch these days. You still working it?"

"Yeah, there's new guys," Connie said, eyes down and not fully meeting Danny's. "I don't know that they're hiring though… things have changed," she warned.

Chloe slapped Connie's arm. "This is Danny! Come on! And you know they're always looking for guys. You ever get a massage license?" she asked him. 

"No, do I need one these days?"

"Well, they've got this gig in Chinatown attached to the Palace like an offshoot and a lot of the guys went there after. If you wanted, I'm sure they can hook you up with a fake one. They look really real to me and seem to work. They can get all sorts of things made up, it's pretty cool."

"The place isn't too different," Connie put in. "The back rooms are still the same, but they're more careful over who goes there these days."

"So who is this boss?"

The girls looked at each other. "We've never met him," Chloe said. "It's all very mysterious. But you'll meet Olivia who's running the place for him."

"We think he's from abroad and that's why he's never been around yet," Connie agreed. "What we do know is that Olivia was running a small joint of her own before teaming up with him and rumor has it that she has a lot of important people on her books." 

"What, like famous people?"

"Politicians and stuff," Chloe said with a conspiratorial smile.

He did love good gossips. With street girls it was the same as a water cooler sometimes, and he'd known coming in that his best chances of getting information was from them. Chloe and Connie had been tight for a long time and called themselves the 'Diamond Cs' along with Coco, who Danny didn't see around, but assumed she was away with a john. 

"Interesting," Danny nodded. "They're probably rich, that's never a bad thing to get involved with."

"You always did want to go high-end on us," Chloe teased. "You would have made it, too, if Frank had put you in a three piece suit rather than keeping you topless and on display. Not that I'm complaining…"

"Hush, Missy."

"You want to go meet Olivia now?" She asked giggling.

Danny stumbled over his words. "N-now? Aren't you working?" He said amidst hearing a voice in his ear as Steve reminded him from the van that he was just touching bases tonight and not to go too far. They hadn't scouted the club themselves yet and Danny wasn't supposed to go in until they'd done that tomorrow morning. He scratched at his ear absently, making Steve's voice distort.

"It's early, no one's biting yet. Best we're going to manage right now is a blow job to a college kid so it's not like we're missing out. Besides, I really want to see Olivia when she catches sight of you," Chloe said as Connie remained quietly at the side, casting her eyes about for potential clients.

"Why's that?" He asked as Chloe slipped her arm around his. 

"Because we need more muscly men. She said it herself not that long ago. And that means Connie and I get a finders fee out of this."

"Oh," he laughed. "So this is so you can make a little side cash out of my ass."

"If the butt plug fits," she laughed with him, leaning back and glancing down at Danny's backside. 

He began to lead her off, Connie following then trying to hop a little in her platform boots to catch up on Danny's other side as they walked away. 

_'Danny! What are you doing? Get back to the van, right now!'_ Steve shouted in his ear while Danny did his best to ignore it.

"This is faster than I thought, but I guess the sooner I get back to work the better," Danny said, half in response to Steve and half to the girls in conversation.

_'Danny!'_

*

Danny had managed to surreptitiously drop his earwig into a potted plant outside the club. In some ways he was relieved because even when silent, he could still feel Steve's annoyance and taking it out felt somewhat freeing, even if it was frightening to be less backed up. He knew this club, despite the changes in decor and management, and there were still familiarities he could latch onto. But amidst that, he had no clue what the security would be like and if they searched him for stuff, they might find the device and it would be game over.

Connie came stumbling back over to where Chloe was still holding tightly around Danny's arm. "She'll be right out."

"How about we get a drink? Maybe say hello to some old friends?" Chloe asked. "'Barky' Mark is still behind the bar."

"He is? That's weirdly comforting," Danny commented, craning his neck to catch sight of the burly bartender who he remembered enjoyed 90s karaoke and wearing his baseball cap backwards. He also had rather a loud booming voice that could scare the shit out of people, which is how he earned his nickname. 

"Where else will you find a bartender who'll take such good care of us when you're not around, handsome," Chloe's eyes wrinkled as she complimented Danny. She was always the most clingy of the girls, and had been since Danny had drop kicked a violent john out of the car park. She'd had a thing for him ever since, though he did his best to downplay it.

"You must be Danny," a smooth voice came from behind and he turned his head to see a rather petite, well-dressed brunette circle around him, taking stock of his body and his bearing.

"Yeah," he answered. "Pleasure to meet you, Olivia." Neither of them held their hands out to shake, too busy sizing each other up.

"I'm told you used to work here, when Frank Delano ran the place. Seems you left around the same time he got carted off by the cops. Quite a coincidence," she raised an eyebrow. He knew where she was going with this, had expected it.

"Listen, I had nothing to do with that. I just have a good eye and a good ear. Gotta be careful in this line of work. Besides, there was a night, about a week before he got taken down where a cop burst in on the two of us together… kinda gave it away a little bit. And I've got good reason not to get arrested again myself."

She nodded slowly. "So where've you been?"

"Went back East. But business isn't so good there anymore and like I said, I've got good reason not to get arrested and maybe a couple of things happened, if you know what I mean. Hawaii is a better fit for me right now," he stretched his hands down into his pockets, his jeans riding a little lower. "Figured after this length of time the heat would have worn off."

"And you thought you'd try me for a job? Why should I bring you in? You may be built, but you're not so young anymore. Whatever clients you had before have likely moved on and Connie here says you don't do the kinky stuff, so what's the appeal?"

"He's amazing, Olivia," Chloe put in before Danny had a chance. "He's rock solid, he's got broad appeal, the clients always liked him, and he's not an asshole, you know? He's a good guy to have round the place, even when he's not working."

"Thanks for the glowing reference, Chlo'," he smiled over at her with a roll of his eyes that she seemed to find endearing.

"You're lucky," Olivia said, snapping into business mode, her pencil skirt tight over her legs as she came closer. "Seems I need a guy with muscles and I've recently been asked for a blond so you've got good timing. I'll consider a trial period to see how things go but first I'll have my guys look into your background. It won't take long. You hang tight while the girls go back to work," she motioned with her head for them to scoot away and they did, wilting under Olivia's glare. Chloe kissed his cheek before leaving and he rubbed her arm reassuringly.

Once they'd gone, he turned curious eyes back to Olivia. "You got a specific client in mind?" He asked, mirroring her business attitude, which always felt strange to him when discussing selling sex.

"Yeah. You're new boss," she answered. "He's going to be in town soon and the man knows what he likes. If you check out, I'll put you out with those two, they could use a third on their corner since we lost Coco."


	3. Chapter 3

He'd breathed a sigh of relief when Olivia had come back to tell him that after running some kind of check (whether they had a police officer on the books or just some good hackers, he didn't know) he seemed to check out. And she sympathized with him over the robbery gone wrong in Newark that had led to his return to the Island. Whatever Chin and Fryer had put into Danny's fake credentials had passed this test, at least.

He'd accepted her offer to take him on for the night to see how he did and he'd left to go back to the girls, who were excited to learn he'd be working so closely with them.

Danny leaned back against the wall, nonchalant as possible. In his mind he focused on James Dean and tried to look cool, calm, in control and also, totally there for anyone with enough money to buy him. 

He watched as Connie leaned into the window of a BMW, striking a deal. With a wave back at them, she smiled as she got in and the car drove off. Danny tamped down on his spike of worry for her. This was one of those things he hated about being undercover; knowing what these people did was dangerous, but once you got to know them, it made it harder to let them continue doing it. 

Chloe came over and put her arm through his and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You have no idea how much better I feel now we've got you back, Danny," she said with a sigh. 

"You make it sound like we worked together a whole lot more than we actually did. I never even worked the street corners with you girls."

"Yeah, but we're friends. We partied a little. And we did work together when Murphy needed to move us around and that was always fun. It always feels safer when we work with you," she shrugged, making it seem like it wasn't a big deal to her but Danny could read between the lines.

"Thanks," he said. "But the Diamond C's are a tight group. You look out for each other and you do it well."

"We did," she said, sniffing and lifting her head back up again. 

"Where's Coco anyway? I wasn't going to say but… Olivia said you lost her?"

"We don't know what happened. I mean, Connie and I, we don't understand. One night she's with us and the next… gone. It makes no sense."

"Was she okay? She didn't… was she acting different? Depressed or anything?" He coaxed. Coco was transgendered, some guys liked that, some guys hated it but wanted her anyway and couldn't reconcile it and Coco was the one that needed the most protecting. They'd all helped fight each others' corners at some time - handbags at dawn it had been if a john tried to go too far. 

Danny had intervened once on Coco's behalf as well and she'd given him a hell of a smile for it; a trusting smile. It was a thanks not just for helping her but for not hating her, and he couldn't stand that people went through life not worrying about whether people liked them, but just praying they didn't automatically hate them. Coco had a rough time of it, she'd wound up on the streets for a reason. In some ways she'd been lucky to land herself with Chloe and Connie and even Delano, because she had the backing of a respected pimp, (even if he was a jackass), and she'd never found herself too far into the gutter. But maybe things had changed for her after Delano went down and if so, Danny would feel guilty for that. For not following up on all the kids Delano 'took care of'.

"She was fine. She'd made a lot of money that night, too."

"There must have been something. You know she wouldn't leave just like that. And she wasn't the type to give it up and end her own life… you knew her best. You must have some idea?"

"Well," Chloe looked around herself, as if this was some kind of conspiracy. "There was this guy. Liked Coco maybe a bit too much, you know? South American. Kinda sleazy, had this big scar down his face and his eye was weird. We thought maybe he killed her for some reason. Maybe got rough with her or something."

"If she was dead, surely the police would find a body."

"Maybe not. There are ways of making dead people disappear. I watch enough TV to know that."

"I dunno," he debated bringing up the next bit. Maybe it was too early to press. But it flowed in the conversation and he might not get a better chance. "Look, I've been hearing rumors since I got back. I almost didn't come to you guys for help."

"Rumors? Oh, you mean… the Chinese people?"

"Way I heard it, it's not just the illegals. I heard regular streetwalkers were going, too. And the escorts. Doesn't matter who, but people are going missing and I wasn't sure I wanted to put my neck on the block for that."

"Nah, Danny," Chloe squeezed his arm. "Come on. Like you'd disappear."

"I did before," he reminded her. 

"Right," she frowned. "But maybe that's just all it is, you know? People move on."

"We don't even know who this boss is. He could be a complete psycho."

"He could be. Or maybe he's more of a Richard Gere in Pretty Woman type. I mean, he could be."

"I doubt it," Danny murmured as he watched a dark shape walking their way, hands in his pockets and looking shiftily about. "Heads up, think this might be a customer."

She let go of him and adjusted her shirt, plumped her breasts up and checked her skirt. The guy stopped across the street, his hooded top masking his face but Danny recognized his build and his bearing. He had a feeling this customer was for him. Finally the guy made his way across and looked about himself like this was his first buy and he was looking for the cops.

"How much?" he asked, with an upward tilt of his head, still partially obscured by his hood but Danny couldn't fail to recognize him and every nuance of him and his act. 

"Depends on what you want. And who you want to do it with."

"Okay, what's cheapest?"

"Thirty for a hand, forty for a mouth," Chloe put in, looking him up and down.

"With him, I meant him," a hand came out from the front pocket of the man's top and gestured to Danny. "Same price?"

"Yeah."

"I've got… I've got fifty."

"So you can afford it if it's what you want. We can head somewhere quiet and you can get it out."

"What'll you do for fifty, though?" He asked, shifting on his feet nervously.

"For that, I'll swallow," Danny narrowed his eyes a little, giving a hint of a challenge.

"It's safe? I don't usually do this," he looked behind him. 

"It's fine, we do it all the time," Danny gestured for him to go with him and with a quick glance at Chloe to make sure she bought the routine, he headed with Danny up the street until Danny led him down a back alley. It was a secluded spot, there were no windows above with prying eyes so it was ideal for the more illicit of trysts.

The man pushed his hood back and leaned against the wall. "You feel like explaining yourself now?" He was angry, his voice barely in check, fluttering just like when he'd been feigning nervousness and maybe that hadn't been quite so much the act Danny assumed. 

He stared Steve down with as much confidence as possible. "I improvised. I had to. I know this cover, Steve. I know that I might have to go off the plan occasionally to deal with things. I need you to go with me on this and maybe we'll get this thing wrapped up quickly."

"I don't like it. We have no idea what happened to you in there."

"I was going to give a full report in the morning. I couldn't risk wearing anything inside, I don't know how much the security has changed."

"You weren't supposed to go there tonight. Just stay on the streets. What if they made you, huh?"

"Relax, they bought the cover. Mostly. I met Olivia Victor, she's put me on a trial run. She's cagey, and smart. My disappearing when I did before has shady enough timing that she's not going to fully trust me but since she can use me, she's not going to turn me away. I've got a good in here. It's working."

"Well, thanks to your improvising, it means you can't come home tonight, you realize that?"

Danny grimaced. Steve had said about enjoying their night after this and Danny had just ruined that. "I didn't give it much thought, honestly. I was focused on the job. But you're right, I can't risk it. Do I have a place to go?"

"Kono set it up," Steve brought out keys from his pocket and handed them to Danny. "Paradise Motel, just off King Street. Don't expect much from it."

"Yeah," Danny put the key in his own pocket. "I'm sure it'll live up to its name. Listen, we don't have much time. Not for fifty bucks. So let's get this thing done," he reached down and unzipped Steve's pants.

"Whoa. What are you doing?" Steve put his hand down to stop Danny but stayed with his back to the wall.

"I'm making this look convincing. I need you to stagger back down the road past Chloe looking freshly fucked. And I need you to get your cum on me."

"You said for fifty you'd swallow," Steve reminded him. 

"I did, because it's easier for you to get stuff on me that way. If I didn't, I'd get you off at the end with my hand and you'd get it on yourself. It's all part of my plan."

Steve loosened his hand a little, Danny beginning to convince him or maybe he was just in shock and going along with it. "Why do I get the feeling this is the kind of plan you've worked before?" Steve asked through gritted teeth, his displeasure at his own jealousy obvious.

Danny smiled, took Steve's cock out and began to massage it up and down as he went to his knees. "To be fair, last time, my back up jerked himself off and smeared it on me. But I like this way better," he said before leaning in and taking Steve into his mouth. 

He wasn't hard yet. Despite their rouse and the talk of sex, it hadn't been nearly enough to get Steve worked up, but Danny knew how to manipulate his body after three years of having sex with him and he knew it wouldn't take him long. He was good at this - giving head. It made him a little depressed that he'd learned some of it on the street during stings, but he pushed thoughts like that aside and concentrated on knowing that how good he was at this drove his partners insane and especially Steve, who was particularly fond of a good blow job from Danny. 

"This is it, baby, this is it, I swear," Steve said breathily and Danny pulled off him with a pop, going back to stroking him with his hand after spitting on his dick to keep it slick. 

"You're not that hard yet," he responded.

"No, I mean, no more going undercover as a whore again. This is the last time."

Danny licked up Steve's dick then spat on his hand so he could use the wetness to play with Steve's balls. "Never say never."

"I'm serious, Danny. I hate all this. Not just what you have to do now but finding out what you might have done in the past. I've avoided looking at some of your old files for this very reason."

"Jealous?" Danny asked looking up at him and meeting Steve's eyes as he looked down at him. "I do have a daughter. I've been around the block before."

"As far as I'm concerned you had completely vanilla sex before you met me. The kinky shit? That's only you and me, baby."

"Okay," Danny smiled. "You just keep believing that while I suck the cum right out of you." He went back to Steve's dick, licking his lips before opening wide and taking Steve in as deeply as he could. 

Steve threw his head back and began to get with it, relying on Danny to know what needed to be done. Maybe it didn't have to happen this way, but since not all the johns that would go with Danny would be able to do this, he wanted it to happen at least once. Real johns would be arrested once they got somewhere secluded enough to not break Danny's cover, and any plants would probably end up in a hotel room with him reading a newspaper while Danny filled in his reports. He was taking this opportunity to pass it off as close to genuine as possible.

Because it was Steve he was doing this to, it was difficult to control his own hardness as Steve made recognizable sounds of pleasure, thrusting into Danny's mouth like he knew exactly what Danny could take and fisting Danny's hair just how he liked it. He jammed the heel of his hand down over his groin and concentrated on what he was doing to Steve while also trying to think of ice buckets or a naked Margaret Thatcher or hell, a naked Doris McGarrett...

"Fuck, that mouth of yours is lethal," Steve mumbled, shakily as he couldn't help but thrust forward into Danny's mouth, and while he was kneeling and trying not to think sexy thoughts, Danny hadn't expected it and choked on Steve's dick as it pressed against the back of his throat. 

He gagged and spat Steve's cock out.

"Sorry, baby, sorry," Steve said, thinking it was his own fault. 

"I'm okay," Danny spat on the ground next to him, wiggled a little closer on his knees and pumped Steve's cock with his hand. "Just keep thinking about what I'm doing to you, imagine what it would be like to drag me away from here and fuck my ass instead."

Steve's dick jerked a little at the words and he swallowed. "Don't fucking tempt me," he ground out.

Danny gave a small, low laugh and leaned in to mouth at Steve's balls, a finger pressed to his perineum and stroking against it. He licked up the shaft and swirled his tongue over the head of Steve's dick, making sure the other man was watching as he did it. He then rubbed his cheek against it, letting Steve's pre-cum shine on his skin before taking it back into his mouth to the sound of a hiss from Steve's mouth. It wasn't a bad hiss, not a painful one, it was one of needy shock, like Steve was suddenly overwhelmed by the pooling of desire in his stomach and was getting desperate to come. 

Danny used his hand to help, jerking Steve faster while his mouth stayed tight over the head of his cock and he hummed, urging Steve to come and as the other man's breathing sped up and then faltered, he knew it was time. Hot cum hit the back of his throat and he swallowed reflexively. He kept his hand moving, getting as much of Steve's cum into his mouth as he could, tonguing the slit to the end.

Steve leaned hard into the wall, chest heaving, dick hanging out of his pants as Danny sat back on his haunches and in the low lamplight, opened his mouth to show Steve the cum on his tongue. 

Steve slid down the wall, not caring about getting dirt on his clothing to match that already on Danny's knees, and bracketed the undercover cop with his legs, He reached up, cupping Danny's face and bringing it closer, inspecting it. 

"I didn't think your mouth could get any prettier," he said as Danny swirled the cum on his tongue. "But my spunk looks good on you, baby."

Danny brought a finger to his mouth and ran it over his tongue then out and down his chin and into his neck, making sure the trail was obvious before closing his mouth and making a show of swallowing the rest. Opening to show Steve it was all gone. "I don't think anyone can hear you. No need to play the john who gets off on painting hookers with cum."

Steve smiled properly, for the first time since Danny had agreed to this Op and he pulled him in, kissing him hard. "Who said it was an act?"

Danny kissed him back, letting Steve taste any remnants of himself as their tongues met. "You always were a kinky fucker. Now tuck yourself in, we need to get going."

They stood, Danny helping Steve to his feet with a grasped hand. Clothing was rearranged and wiped down, then Steve reached into his front pocket again and brought out a small box. He produced a new earwig from it and handed it to Danny. "You're going to need this. And please don't drop this one in a pot plant. We need the audio to catch any johns we arrest, okay?"

"Yeah, I know," Danny said putting it in and testing it quickly. "I figured when I saw you coming that this would be why. Well, that and to chew me out for improvising."

"You know me too well."

"That I do," Danny smiled and they exited the alley being careful to look around themselves. They headed back to the same street corner and found Chloe still there. 

Steve turned to Danny, hood back up and hands back in his pockets. He sniffed. "Once I get more money, I might come back," he said.

"You do that," Danny answered. "I'm sure I'll be here."

With that, Steve wandered off the way he'd come.

"You took your time," Chloe said from behind. "I smoked a cigarette and gave a guy a hand job and I've been back five minutes. What's your excuse?"

"He took a while to get hard," Danny said as he turned, no longer watching Steve leave. He shrugged. "Maybe I'm out of practice."

She reached out to him and wiped a thumb over his chin. "And getting sloppy. You got spunk on your neck as well." He took over, pushing her hand away. 

He raised his shirt up, exposing his chest and used the hem to wipe his mouth and into his neck. "Hey, he may have been slow to get it up but once he did he came like a fucking geyser. Practically choked me with the stuff, I'm not surprised I missed some of it. Still, fifty bucks richer," he showed her the wad of cash.

"Yeah, but you gotta pay Olivia some of it and fifty isn't going to impress her. You need to get at least a few hundred each night for her to want to keep you around. I want you to stay so come on, we gotta get some more hits tonight."

"Connie not back yet?"

She shook her head. "I think the guy she's with has bought her before. Takes a few hours. He's a bit older, you know. But he pays her well. She'll be set for the night with him."

They stood for another half an hour. In that time, Chloe got paid for another blow job and Danny stood alone, trying not to 'talk to himself' and look foolish even though he knew he could probably cover it up by whipping his phone out of his back pocket and pretending to talk that way. He didn't want anyone on the street to think he was up to something else and land him in trouble so he stayed quiet, leaned back against the wall and brought a knee up.

Chloe returned and shared a cigarette with him (while Steve berated him in his ear) and then a flashy car, a Lexus by the look, slowed as it came to the corner. Danny tried not to shake his head or roll his eyes when he saw who leaned over and opened the window, beckoning him forward. 

He braced his forearms on the line of the door and slinked down to look in. "You need something?"

"Could use a little company," Chin said with a smile, conscious of the fact that Chloe was only a few feet away and could probably hear them. 

"Hundred bucks an hour for the pleasure."

"And what kind of pleasure are you offering for that amount of money?"

Danny tilted his head. "Anything you want, but I don't do the kinky shit. No BDSM, no fetishes, no role-play."

"Sounds reasonable. I've got three hundred."

Danny frowned at him, knowing who was really behind this idea to get Danny off the streets for so long, probably capitalizing on the idea after hearing where Connie was. "Three hundred. Pretty steep."

"I'm pretty lonely," Chin answered. "How about you get in and I'll spring for a motel room."

Danny lifted himself up by his knuckles on the doorframe and turned to wink at Chloe, "I might not be back tonight, stay safe."

She nodded and gave him a sly grin. "You go, girl."

When he got into the car and Chin drove off, Danny dropped his act with just one word. "Seriously?" It was directed at Chin but also into his ear at Steve. 

"Steve's meeting us at the motel. He wants to get started on this stuff fast and get up to speed on everything that happened while you were out of contact. Also, he wants to work out a better system for keeping you gainfully employed, but making sure we can control the johns."

Danny's elbow landed on the door with a thump, right on the funny bone but he wouldn't allow anything more than a quick wince. "I should have seen this coming," he muttered to himself and ignored Chin's knowing smirk. 

They pulled up at a nondescript looking motel, the kind that would rent by the hour and you never wanted to run a blue light over but for those who needed it, it was perfectly acceptable shelter on the cheap. Chin didn't even bother knocking when they reached room 106 and they entered to find Steve, Kono and Fryer already inside, setting up what looking like a makeshift office.

Steve stood from where he was perched on the bed, ran his hands down his thighs in brief hesitation then came over to Danny. "Hey," he said carefully, wrapping one arm around Danny's waist while his other hand cupped Danny's jaw and held him still while he swooped in for a kiss. 

"Hey," Danny responded when Steve pulled back, hand still on his hip. He was used to Chin and Kono seeing them together; Steve had made it clear from the beginning that he wasn't hiding anything from the team and if the occasional public display happened then so be it, but Fryer was a new factor and Danny felt awkward though he refused to show it. Whenever he felt like that about how Steve was towards him, he always tried to divert attention back to the other man, and this was no different. "Always clingy after a good orgasm," he patted Steve's reddening cheek as he left his side.

Kono hid a smile behind her hand. "I've got everything loaded onto this laptop for you to get started on. There's a hide in the room you've got, under a floorboard, where there's some money, some IDs for your cover, two burner phones and a dictaphone for your call in reports. There's also a key for a locker at the Zoo, you can use that for a dump, I have the other key."

Danny widened his eyes. "We seem to be going all out for a short operation."

"Can't be too careful," Fryer said. "We need to be convincing and we need to make sure this case is air tight, especially if we do it at speed." 

Danny turned to Steve who was standing close behind him. "So what's this plan to deal with johns?" He asked, knowing it would have been Steve's idea so he could damn well explain it. 

"You bring them here," Steve said.

"Here?" Danny glanced around the room.

"Room 108, next door. We'll be there to make the arrest. Since this is going to be a short operation," Steve pointedly looked over at Fryer, "We'll take them on a long walk through the system so no one will be able to put two and two together over whose johns are getting caught. We'll also use a series of plants from the precinct, recruit a few friends even, and I'll become a regular."

Danny shook his head a little. "Someone might recognize you from before, or the fact that you're Five-0, it's risky to use you too often."

"They might recognize you as Five-0, too. Which means I'm going to try and stick close when I can. I'll be coming by regularly, it's a done deal."

Danny sidled closer to Steve, laying his hands on his chest. "Can't get enough of me, huh?" he asked, slyly, seductively. 

Steve grabbed loosely at his wrists and kept a straight face. "Danny, be serious." Danny just licked his lips and tried not to laugh as he enjoyed the mix of anger and arousal on Steve's face. "Start your report, that's an order." He pushed the smaller man away.

"Order?" Danny asked, slinking away, arms out to Kono to place the laptop between. "You know I don't do the kinky stuff, honey."

"You do with me," Steve all but growled at him, fists tight by his sides as he proclaimed it with authority.

"Gentlemen?" Fryer interrupted. "Before you start humping over the mini bar can we get some work done?"

Danny sat at the small table in the room and kept his gaze on the reports filling the screen in front of him as he answered. "There is no mini bar."


	4. Chapter 4

An hour later and Danny wiped a hand over his brow as he folded the screen of the laptop over. He was sick of filling things out in triplicate and he'd written everything he could remember about the club. The people, the decor, the corridors and exits, the security, anything that had obviously changed and things he suspected were the same. 

"You're sure that's everything?" Steve asked as Danny sat back. 

"Yeah," he answered exasperated but he softened, knowing Steve just wanted to make sure they could get through this Op as quickly as possible and he did admire the reasons Steve wanted that. "Look, it was a good idea to get this down while it was so fresh in my mind."

Steve gave a small nod. 

"There's something else I need you to look into for me," Danny leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he addressed the room. "The girls who work the street corner, one of them is missing."

"Missing?" Kono asked. "As in… why we're doing this thing?"

"I think so," Danny nodded. "Her name is Coco. We ran all of them through facial rec when I was under the first time, got background on them. I can't remember her real name, but her details were still under her original male gender."

"She was trans?" Chin asked.

"Yeah, which, I know, means we could be looking at a whole other crime going on here not related to what we're doing. I've seen it before with the trans kids if the johns are the violent type and think they're being deceived, but Coco was always upfront about who she was."

"You're sure she didn't just leave the business?" Kono asked.

"According to Chloe, everything was normal, she'd even had a big score and was pretty happy, so I don't think she'd leave and I don't think she'd kill herself either before any of you ask. It's the same MO. She was there one minute and gone the next."

"Nothing suspicious?"

"Chloe remembered a john. South American, scar on his face, bad eye. Said he seemed like maybe he could have done it. I don't have much more to go on. It's difficult to get much out of them sometimes. Connie doesn't talk about stuff, she's always been guarded. Chloe can be a gossip but she embellishes to make a good story." He shrugged. "Neither of them are entirely reliable but they also wouldn't lie about stuff like this."

"We'll look into it," Fryer put in. "We'll need to keep it on the down low. Can't be putting a BOLO out or someone will think a missing persons report has been filed and if they think it was one of the girls, they might link you to it."

"I know," Danny said. "Just keep it in mind. Add her to the list you've already got."

There was silence in the room for a long, stretching moment until Danny rubbed his hands together, remembering the rouse and the empty room next door they were also renting.

"So, I still got a couple of hours to kill here. Can't exactly show up on the streets again until I've earned that three hundred. Feel like going next door and faking it with me, Chin?"

The native man looked up with wide eyes, shocked for a moment before he laughed. "I think I have better things to do than bang a headboard against a wall to convince the neighbors I paid you for it."

"Your loss," Danny said as he sat back, knees apart. "Any other takers?" He looked around, eyes finally settling on Steve who shuffled his feet then reached his hand out for Danny.

"Come on," he said, fingers twitching, indicating for Danny to get up. 

Their hands joined together as Steve headed for the adjoining door so that the didn't have to go out into the corridor. 

"You guys are gonna fake it?" Kono asked, stifling a laugh and then inadvertently snorting. "Yeah right. 'Fake it'." She shook her head. 

They didn't bother to answer her, instead they slipped into the other room and locked the door behind them. Steve pulled Danny with him towards the bed and he sat down, urging Danny to straddle him as his hands roamed up and down his body. He pressed his nose into Danny's neck, inhaling deeply the familiar scent of Danny, committing it to memory. A hand clutched into the neck of his wife beater and pulled it down, exposing more of Danny's chest down to his nipples and he leaned in, capturing one with his teeth and teasing at it.

"Steve," Danny moaned, a hand clutched in Steve's hair as the other man licked over the hardened nub, leaving a trail of saliva behind to cool in the air as he moved to the other one, repeating the process. He then lifted his head, lips touching every piece of skin on the way up and over Danny's chin to his mouth where he latched on tightly, tongue pressing for entry and Danny opened underneath him, accepting the onslaught, but unprepared to be out of breath so soon. "Steve," he barely breathed out before his mouth was covered again, asking for more, taking what was given. 

He held firmly to Steve's neck and rolled his hips forward, sending a spark through both of their bodies. 

Steve's hands clutched at Danny's ass, pulling him in tighter as he tore his lips away from Danny's and began biting at his neck. "I want to fuck you so bad," he stated between kissing, sucking, laving. "Remind you what's real, and what's just an act."

"I want that," Danny tipped his head back. "Let's do that."

"We can't," Steve pulled his head back to look into Danny's eyes with regret. His hands left Danny's ass and traveled up his back, his gaze drifting to Danny's mouth before meeting his eyes again. "It's not like we came prepared."

"Prep-?" Danny started, wondering what Steve meant but stopping when his brain caught up with him. "You mean lube?"

"Well, yeah. It's all at home. Or the office, you know? I don't exactly keep it on me at all times." Steve's hands rubbed up and down Danny's back having found their way under his top.

"Guys on the street are always prepared. Left front pocket," he said and Steve's hand skirted around his waistband and ducked into the pocket there, producing a couple of sachets of lube.

"Seriously?" Steve asked, jealousy edging into his voice.

"Condoms are in the right pocket but I don't think we need those. It's like I said, street walkers need to be careful. Don't want to catch anything, not for forty bucks."

"You're not going to be in that position," Steve reminded him. 

"I know that, but the people I'm with out there don't. I need to be authentic, you know."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it. Still, at least it's coming in handy right now."

"Speaking of hands, sailor. I suggest you get yours back on my ass."

"Yes, sir," Steve smiled against Danny's cheek as he randomly placed a kiss there and then found his way back to Danny's lips, picking up where they left off with open mouthed, dirty, sloppy kisses where breathing combined with their tongues twisting against each other and Steve's hands fought to pull at Danny's figure hugging jeans, but it was too difficult with his legs stretched over Steve's thighs. 

Instead Steve slapped hard at Danny's ass, making him rear back and almost bite his own tongue. "Ow," he said, even though both of them were well aware that Danny's dick had twitched happily at the spark of pain. 

"Up, get these off," Steve ordered while he pulled at his own shirts and began unbuttoning his cargoes. Undressing quickly, they got back into their earlier position and straight back to kissing and stroking hands everywhere until Steve picked up the packet of lube again and opened it, smearing it over his fingers behind Danny's back and then searching out his ass, one hand holding his undulating hips still while the other dipped between his crack and pushed the first finger inside with practiced ease. 

Danny flinched minutely, but breathed out, relaxing his body and eagerly accepted the finger as it entered further, past Steve's knuckle until it was fully in and began to ease in and out in a gentle rhythm. He pushed back against it and moaned into Steve's neck as he wrapped his body around Steve's. "Oh, babe, give me more," he urged as he tugged on Steve's earlobe, rolling the skin between his teeth. "I can take it, I can take everything you've got," he murmured into Steve's ear, enticing him.

A second finger pushed in, giving Danny no time to get used to the change in pressure and he continued the rhythm he'd already set, almost daring Danny to tell him he was going too fast, or causing him any pain. 

"More," Danny encouraged, meeting the unspoken challenge Steve was setting him, knowing what he could take and that Steve would never go too far, only every pushing just that little bit shy of hurting him. 

The hand at Steve's hairline clutched tighter, thumb running into his neck and pressing against his pulse point, hard enough to leave a mark. 

"That's it, make me ready for you. I'm ready," he breathed as their cheeks brushed, stubble rubbing, burning. 

"You always take it so good for me, baby," Steve answered him as he pressed a third finger inside, moving his fingers to search out just the right angle to make Danny feel even better for a few thrusts before his fingers came out and a wet hand landed on Danny's thigh. "My dick can't wait, come on, up and round," he helped Danny stand, knees wobbling slightly as he fought the pins and needles he hadn't realized were setting in. 

Steve pushed himself a little further on the bed and reached out for Danny's hip as he straddled Steve in reverse, kneeling on the bed over him. Steve grabbed the lube and poured the last of it over his dick, running his hand over himself, the wetness making an obscene sound as it spread over him. He then reached for Danny's ass, pulling the cheeks apart to get a good look at his loose hole and then helped guide him back and down, practically spearing himself on Steve's hardness. 

Steve let go of one ass cheek, hand print fading from the strength of his hold as he guided his dick into Danny, raising his hips when Danny was too slow in lowering himself down. "Little more, almost there baby, you're taking it so good, fuck."

Danny rested for a moment, feeling filled and his thighs were aching from holding himself up and only moving slowly. He braced his arms on the edge of the bed in front of him only to earn himself a slap on the rear again for stopping. 

"Quit daydreaming and start moving, buddy," Steve's voice broke through the quiet heat in the room. "I want to come inside you, come on, move and pull it out of me."

Danny lifted up, feeling the slide of Steve inside of him, pressing in all the right ways against his insides as he, too, felt the need to move, to pull the orgasm out of the pit of his stomach. His biceps stretched taut as he relied on them to hold him up as he rocked on Steve's cock.

An arm slithered around his waist and pulled him up, sweaty back meeting sweaty chest, heads bumping as Steve did his best to help, lifting Danny, pressing down into the mattress and back up again, dick as far in Danny as possible and giving tiny, fast thrusts over and over as tired legs couldn't keep up higher and Danny needed one hand to jerk himself off at the same time.

He threw a hand back, finding Steve's shoulder, the back of his neck, grasping at the small hairs at the nape and pulling Steve's head over his shoulder. Steve turned his face into Danny's neck, nipping and sucking, drawing the skin there to a deep red color as he thrust frantically into him. 

"Coming, coming baby," Steve leaned back on one hand, the other braced Danny's back to keep him upright while Steve watched his dick sliding in and out of his hole, hips rolling, cum and lube shining on him as he emptied into him. 

Danny expected Steve to collapse back onto the bed, but instead he surged up again, shoving his softening cock back fully inside Danny, grabbed around his waist and turned them, tumbling them together sideways onto the bed into a spooning position. Steve kept himself close, not allowing his dick to slide out and instead pressed in as much as he could and covered Danny's hand with his own, meshing their fingers together over Danny's cock and keeping the pressure until he came, spattering cum over his stomach and onto the bed covers below.

Danny tried to roll forward but Steve held tight and moved with him when he did, a stubbled cheek at the back of his shoulder, rubbing gently against the skin there. 

He waited a few moments, letting their breathing recover and heart rates slow before twisting his head as far as he could. "You okay? 'Cause you're crushing me a little bit," he said, wondering if Steve truly realized he was holding so firm and still keeping himself inside Danny. 

"I know," Steve answered, not giving anything away except determination. 

"So… you're staying there?"

"We've got time," Steve said, kissing the back of Danny's neck. "And you can take it."

"Guess you were right," Danny mused as he pulled a pillow closer and managed to get it under his head. 

"I usually am," Steve smiled against him, a hand tracing a pattern on Danny's hip, then dipping lower to feel where they were still attached to each other. "But how this time?"

"I only do the kinky stuff with you," he laughed.


	5. Chapter 5

They dozed together until a knock on the door reminded them that they'd only had a short time and now Danny had to leave.

Steve pulled out of Danny, finally, and decided to inspect him to make sure he was okay, fingers probing against him and smugly satisfied about the dried cum around his hole and the wetness that still came out on his fingers. He rubbed them down Danny's chest as he sat up before dragging him into a kiss. 

"I gotta go," Danny berated him, not allowing Steve to continue and end up getting hard again and needing Danny's help. 

"Just to a different dingy motel room. Might as well stay here longer with me. No one will notice. It's only your first night out I doubt they've got eyes on you that much."

"We can't risk it. Besides, I want to head back past the corner and check if Chloe and Connie are still around and everything's okay."

"Urgh," Steve fell back onto the bed naked while Danny fumbled for his pants and began pulling them on. "I hate this. I should never have let you talk me into it."

"Look," Danny said, pulling his top over his head and getting the neck straight. "I get that you're a jealous control freak. I know you don't want me out there putting myself about, but it's just for the job; none of it's real. And it would help me out a lot if you'd stop banging on about how pissed off you are about it all."

"Is that all you think this is?" Steve asked, finally sitting up, shaking his head. "Danny, we're doing all this at a moment's notice. We've done no prep, you went into that club blind and we have no idea who this guy is who's in charge. What I don't like is being in the dark! I don't care that you worked that club undercover before or you know some of the people still around, the fact remains that we're doing this on very little intel and it won't shock me to find out most of it is garbage."

"Okay," Danny said, coming back over to sit by Steve and reaching a hand out to pat his naked thigh. "I'm sorry, I know you've got your SEAL head on, and that we're doing everything to make sure I don't need to go anywhere near as deep as I've ever been in the past. I know how much it frustrates you when you feel like you don't have all the control."

"That's it exactly," Steve tilted his head from side to side, then admitted. "But I also don't like seeing you picking up other men." 

"Sometimes it's women," Danny said on a breath, sticking out his bottom lip. 

"Shut up," Steve smiled at him, knowing he was trying to lighten it a little. "I know that everything out there isn't real, okay?" He reached for Danny's hand and clasped it in his own. "I know that this is. Whatever the hell it is we've been doing these last few years."

"I think I just never bothered moving out," he shrugged and Steve pulled him closer, getting Danny on top of him again in a repeat of earlier, only this time they couldn't take it any further. He ran a hand over Danny's hair; it was flatter now after sweat-filled sex sessions but still slicked back. He leaned up into Danny for a sweet, soft kiss. 

"You need anything tonight, go to the loose floorboard and grab one of the phones. The only number programmed in is a burner I'm holding onto."

"Got it," Danny said, climbing off Steve after one last kiss. He unlocked the door and stepped through, careful to keep anyone from seeing in to where Steve still sat naked on the bed.

*

When Danny made it back to the corner, there was no sign of the girls so instead he gave a quick glance around, curious as to if anyone else had been there all night, in case someone had been sent to keep an eye on him, didn't spot anyone, and turned to walk away.

He wasn't able to use a car so he had no choice but to walk for a bit. He got on a late bus heading to Chinatown and got off relatively close to King Street, walking the last of the way to the Paradise Motel. He turned his nose up at it, but he had no choice right now. 

He found the room, checked it for any tampering and then looked for the loose floorboard to make sure everything in the hide was safe. 

There was very little else he could do except empty out the bag Kono had put together for him with hooker clothes and toiletries, then he turned the light out and went to bed. 

He didn't worry about getting up too early - prostitutes worked late into the night so he didn't bother heading into the club until around noon. The girls had told him the night before that that element of the job hadn't changed, but they were expected by early afternoon to hand in their money to Olivia. 

Handing over the wad he had, she nodded slowly, impressed at his first night back. "Not bad."

"I got lucky with a lonely tourist," he shrugged, hands in his pockets, pulling the waistband of his pants dangerously low. 

"We'll see how you do over the rest of the week but this is promising. People have types. If one guy on one night found you, others can easily follow. You don't look like a local, that helps to make you stand apart from the crowd."

"Speaking of," Danny swayed on his feet. "You said the big boss might be interested."

She gave him a steadying look. "I did." She seemed to war internally but then made the decision to talk more to him. "He likes blond hair since it's more exotic to him, he likes a strong guy that he can dominate and it helps that you're a little shorter than him. He likes that too. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a plant, but I don't know… you seem too perfect for the role. There's no way the cops could know all of that. It's actually more likely that you fell into my lap at the right time."

"You've given this a lot of thought," Danny said, trying to keep his face blank while he considered just how much Fryer might have known and not told him about. 

"I have to be careful," she replied. "There are always cops out there circling, trying to bring the place down. They keep trying, but they haven't managed yet."

"I'm just here to make some money. The more the better. So if this guy is offering, then I'm in," he said, pulling back to the original conversation and away from cops.

"I'll make sure he meets you when he arrives. In the meantime, keep hitting the streets, you need to earn your keep."

*

"I can't risk keeping the earwig in while I'm in there, they have good security and could find it on me easily," Danny said as he talked with Steve on the phone. "Then everything would be over."

"Fine, but this makes things difficult for us to back you up. We can't even work out any signals, or a way to say 'if you don't come out in two hours we storm the place'. Best we have is the burner phone and there's no guarantee you'll be able to keep it on you."

"I know, but that's the way it is. And you're still backing me up whenever I'm on the street. Right now that's where she wants me to be anyway."

"When are you heading out?"

"A couple of hours. Have you got people lined up?"

"Yeah, there's a couple of cops over from Maui for some big meeting and they're going to come by. Figure they won't be recognized as cops since they're not from around here. Kamekona volunteered but we turned him down. He has a criminal past, you know, people might know him," Steve tried not to laugh, Danny could hear it over the tinny speakers.

"That's very good of you. I really don't need to see Shamu's junk."

"It's an act, remember. My junk is the only kind you need to see. I'll come by late on as well. Just so happens I came into some more money."

"Good for you, just give me a heads up when it's plants okay?"

*

Not a single real john had a chance that night to get near Danny. He'd already taken four plants around back alleys for fake blow jobs before he spotted Steve coming up the street.

He elbowed Connie and signaled. "I think I recognize that guy."

Steve crossed and came right up to Danny, sporting the same hooded sweatshirt as before. "I got more. Still fifty, right?"

"Hasn't changed since last night. You tweaking?" He asked as Steve acted a little manic.

"No, I don't do drugs," he answered but Danny frowned, unsure exactly what the act was but knowing Steve was trying to play someone who didn't have much money to spare and yet, has money to burn…

"Are you sure? You look like you're keyed up."

"Excitement maybe," Steve responded. "I want your mouth on my dick again." He shifted on his feet and that's when Danny noticed the gun sticking out of Steve's jeans.

"Wait, is that a gun?" He asked, drawing everyone's attention. 

"Yeah, but, I'm not gonna do anything. I swear. It's not even mine, I'm just holding it for a friend. And why am I telling you anything, you're not a cop, you're far from it, why do you care if I have a gun?"

"Because I don't want to end up shot in a back alley, that's why," Danny said back, trying to keep his voice down to not draw too much attention, also aware of Connie backing away worried. If Steve was trying to make it look like this lifestyle was dangerous, it was working. But he really didn't need it in the act right now, there were variables he might not be able to control.

"It's how I got the money, alright?" Steve answered.

"Did you rob someone? Or a store or something?"

"What of it?" Steve sniffed. "You get your money, I get my blowie."

"Danny, maybe you shouldn't," Connie carefully said from over his shoulder.

"It's okay, I got this. He's right, what do I care where the money is from. Money's money."

"Good boy," Steve nodded. "Now how about we finalize this deal, yeah?"

"Same place," Danny told him and they walked off. He shot a look back at Connie, telling her it was okay. "I'll be back in a bit, don't worry."

*

Danny led his latest john into the motel room, letting him enter first then shutting the door on him, leaving him alone with Chin and Kono. He headed to the other room and closed the door fully before launching into the man on the bed. "Are you serious? Stealing the money to be able to afford me?"

"Hey, it worked. I figured that's what my cover would do. How else is he supposed to be able to afford it."

"It's still ridiculous."

"Come here," he beckoned Danny over to sit by him and put his arm around him. "You're done for the night, time to relax."

Danny leaned into Steve, arm landing over his thigh. "Until tomorrow."

Steve turned Danny's head to him and kissed him, the force making his head fall back and he went with it as the kisses continued. 

"As much as I'd like this to continue, they're booking a random john next door and Fryer could walk in at any moment. It rather spoils the mood."

Steve laid his forehead against Danny's and closed his eyes. 

"I'm going to go back to my motel. Around noon I'll go by the club. I'll keep to some kind of regular schedule if I can to make things easier."

"Okay," Steve kissed him again, reluctant to let go until after he'd placed another on Danny's temple. "See you again tomorrow for another round."

"Can't wait."


	6. Chapter 6

"What do you mean he's here? I thought it was next week or something?" Danny asked, surprised.

"I never said anything about when it was, just that it was soon. And I said you would meet him. Well, he's here and I've told him about you so he's expecting you in his office."

"He has an office?"

"Always did, it's right next door to mine."

"Okay," Danny said, a little stunned. No one had expected this guy to be coming in.They'd been relying on Danny finding out the information so they'd be able to track flights or get a tail on him. They didn't know anything, Danny had no warning over what to expect and he was, frankly, nervous.

"Cops are all around. No one except me knew when he was arriving. He'll meet a lot of the workers while he's in town, don't think yourself too special."

"You said he's expecting me."

"We knew you'd be by with this," she held up the wad of cash he'd handed her. "He's made time for you."

Danny just nodded at her and one of the security guys led him behind the main area of the club to where the private rooms were, and where the offices hid. He hadn't been back here since Delano owned it and they'd changed the layout - despite the rooms all being in exactly the same places - so he didn't truly know what was behind each door. 

The guard knocked and a voice that spoke very good English, albeit with an accent, told them to come in.

"Got Danny for you, boss."

"Excellent, show him in," the voice answered and the guard moved out of the way, holding the door for Danny. 

When he saw the well-dressed man he was a little taken aback. Certainly not a brute of a man, this guy was sharp, fit, quite thin but had the bearing of a man who was in charge and who didn't fear those who might want to hurt him. He was confident, calculating. And maybe South American.

"Danny, it's good to meet you. Olivia told me about you," he said, sizing Danny up with appreciative eyes. Danny had seen it before in pimps, but nothing was ever as bad as Murphy had been and the 'audition' process he'd gone through, but he braced himself in case he needed to do similar now. 

"I'm afraid I know nothing about you," Danny responded. "Not even a name."

"Marco."

"I'm assuming that's a first name," Danny hedged. 

"And if I like you, maybe you'll get my last."

"Okay," Danny pushed his hands into his pockets, stretching the tight material, knowing it would accent his features. "I know you aren't local. Not from here or the mainland, but you've got really good English."

"I studied at University in England," he answered, coming from behind the desk and stepping closer. "Before going back to Colombia."

"Nice country," Danny complimented. 

"You've been there?"

"Not even close," Danny smiled. "But I hear good things."

"It's just like every other country in the world. It has its positives and negatives."

"Is that why you came here?" Danny asked. "To get away from the negatives?"

"Just for a change of scenery. I like to experience more exotic things. Someone like you, for example. Unless you live in a port town like Cartagena, you don't see a lot of white people with blond hair."

Attention brought to it, Danny ran his hands through his hair. "Where I come from, we're a dime a dozen."

Marco took the last steps closer to Danny, a hand coming up to the side of his head, a finger lightly touching into his hair, taming a strand he'd missed. "Tell me, Danny, how long have you been doing this?"

"What, sex for money?" Danny asked and Marco's face didn't shift from the curious expression he held. "Too long, maybe."

"Do you enjoy it?"

"As much as anyone likes their job. I do it for the money, just like anyone else."

Marco reached into his back pocket and produced his wallet. Opening it, Danny looked down to see the reams of notes in it. He took out five hundred dollars and held it up between them. "Go next door. Make yourself comfortable, and when I come through, let's see if you can earn yourself some money."

Danny looked at the cash. It was a lot, which meant the man expected something big. "I don't do the kinky stuff."

"I spoke with Chloe earlier. She's a nice girl. Eager to please. She said your mouth is lethal. Prove it to me, and the money is yours."

"Just a blow job?" Danny frowned. 

"For now," he answered. "I'll be through in a few minutes."

*

Danny stretched his neck as he stood alone in the room, eying the big bed that dominated his line of sight. For five hundred bucks he figured the best way to do this was to strip, assuming that was what Marco meant about being comfortable. 

He psyched himself up for this. He knew what he had to do, and he knew he had to be in the zone for it, putting thoughts of his own life aside and sinking into his cover identity. 

He had his back to it when the door opened. "I can see why people like buying you," the man said, stepping in. 

Danny turned to him as he walked over, confident still in everything, knowing he was in charge since Danny was just a hooker, wanting to earn some money. He traced a finger down Danny's naked torso and right down and over his flaccid cock. 

"You get hard when you're with clients?"

"Sometimes," Danny answered, truthfully. Well, it was. If he had penetrative sex with them he did sometimes if they were able to stroke his prostate, and he certainly had when he'd been with Steve and, technically, that counted the first few times they hooked up. 

"I expect to see this hard by the time you finish blowing me," he ordered and Danny nodded.

He opened his pants, the lowering zip the only sound in the room. He pulled himself out and stroked his cock, eyes raised, expecting Danny to fall to his knees, which he did, spitting on his hands and taking over.

Marco's hands landed in his hair, gripping tightly, much tighter than he liked. They held him still. "Open up." Another order. Danny did and as soon as the head of his cock was inside the slick warmth, the man pushed harder, right to the back of his throat without warning and fucked him hard, making Danny gag, over and over. 

Danny coughed as he pulled back and did everything in his willpower not to spit the cock out or lower his teeth and bite it, knowing he was in his cover head space, he was a hooker, he was for hire, and Marco was buying him to do what he wanted. 

He used his hands; one at the base of Marco's cock, jerking him at the same time but also providing a buffer to make sure he didn't fuck too far down Danny's throat, the other played with his balls, doing everything he could think of with his hands and tongue and suction to get him off as quickly as possible. 

"I'm not seeing much action down there yet," Marco commented through his heavy breathing and Danny knew he had to take one hand down and jerk himself if he had any hope of getting hard for this guy who, true to Olivia's warnings, wanted to dominate who he was with. 

He released the base of his cock and moved the hand to his own. Marco took the opportunity to push deeper into Danny's mouth again, and as Danny choked, saliva and pre-cum dripped out of the corner of his mouth, he spoke again. 

"Take it, I know you can," he was told by a deep, gravelly voice as he pushed harder, getting closer. 

The hands gripping Danny's hair pulled him back, his eyes met Danny's own as he took pleasure from his mouth and he gave no warning that he was about to come. It hit the back of Danny's throat, making him jolt back, eyes closing in reflex as it spilled into his mouth. 

"Keep your head still," he was ordered and Danny did so, keeping his mouth open as Marco jacked himself off to finish, getting the last of his cum out, landing it on Danny's outstretched tongue, against his cheek and chin. "Very pretty," he commented. "Now swallow it down. All of it."

Danny complied, still with a hand on his own dick, half-hard.

"Look at me, look at me," he tugged Danny's head into position by his hair, and he bent down to look him closely in the eye. "Say 'thank you'."

"Thank you," Danny spoke, the taste of cum in his mouth, he swallowed the last of it, resisting the urge to spit. 

"'Thank you for letting me suck you'."

"Thank you for letting me suck you," he repeated. 

"'Because I'm just a dirty whore and it's what I like'."

"Because I'm a dirty whore and I like it," he said, feeling his cheeks redden at the words, knowing they were meant to humiliate. He may not do the kinky stuff, but for five hundred, his cover would say what his client wanted to hear. It's just what anyone in his position would do for that kind of money. 

Marco slapped Danny's face. "Good man," he said. "Now stand up and lean on the bed."

Danny stood and turned. "I thought this was just a blow job."

"That's all you did to me, never said anything about what I'd do to you."

Danny braced his hands on the bed and screwed his eyes shut. Shit. He had been lax, he hadn't negotiated like he should have and Marco would have expected a professional to know what the hell he was going to be in for. Hopefully he'd just interpret it as nervousness at meeting the new boss and trying to impress him, trying to trust him. 

A wet finger entered his ass, fast. "What the-" he choked off. 

"Goes in easy," Marco commented. "You're certainly used to having things shoved up here, then."

"Of course I am, I've been around the block."

"Not every john takes care of their whores." He reached around for Danny's dick as he thrust the finger in and out of his ass, stroking him in time. "Let's see you come for me."

Danny did everything he could to do it fast. As the second finger entered him he imagined it was Steve and not Marco behind him, but it was difficult because he didn't want to equate Steve with what was being done in this room. But he thought back anyway, to their first time and needing to do it for the cameras, taking pleasure in each other and yet not knowing where anything was leading. 

"Fuck," Danny breathed out as he felt the quick build inside him. Before long he was coming, and as he panted it was more with relief than pleasure. 

Marco wiped his hands on Danny's back and slapped his ass. "I always make sure my partners get something, too."

"We get money," Danny pointed out.

"Still, I'm a gentleman. Give and take is only fair," he was tucked back in, jacket and shirt collar rearranged, while Danny looked a naked mess with hair all over the place and all sorts of wet spots over him. Marco took the five hundred from his pocket and threw it onto the bed. "Unless you're really keen to earn more today, take the night off. Come in tomorrow morning and wear something nice." he turned back once more before leaving. "By the way, you can call me 'sir', or 'Mr. Reyes'."

He left before Danny could do or say anything else.


	7. Chapter 7

He redressed and took a deep breath before leaving the room. He braced himself for hitting the outside world again, all the while making everything seem perfectly normal and at ease. 

It had been a while since he'd done this kind of work and he'd thought going back under would be like every other time and he'd be fine. He wasn't sure if it was the lack of prep, lack of intel, or maybe just…. something else…. but he felt like crap. Felt dirty, used. Of course he'd felt that plenty before and after taking time to put it into perspective he moved on. Hell, last time, after he'd puked his guts up and scrubbed for a century, he'd felt better, told himself it was for the job and for a greater good and in the long run would be meaningless. 

Somehow that felt empty when he told it to himself now, because there seemed to be more ramifications from it. 

When he got into his motel room, he tore the clothes from his body, ignored the earwig and everything else under the floorboard and bolted for the bathroom. He started the shower and sat on the toilet seat to wait for the water to heat up. 

Moving on autopilot, he finally stood and got under the spray, soaping his body up, scrubbing every inch, rubbing hard between his ass crack and pressing a finger just inside to make sure everything there was okay. He poured shampoo into his hand until it overflowed and massaged it into his hair until he was a covered mess, watching as it flowed down over his body and coated the bottom of the bathtub in bubbles. He then opened the curtain and leaned over to the sink, grabbed his toothbrush and a generous amount of toothpaste and stayed under the burning hot spray of water while he brushed his teeth vigorously. 

The brush in his mouth poked back far, right to the edge of his throat and he gagged once, twice, kept going, and after the third gag he bent over, let the water cascade over his back and he threw up over the plug hole, watching the bile rinse down the drain, kicking at the lumps to make them go down faster.

He sighed, he'd need to rewash his lower legs again.

He stuffed the brush in his mouth and grabbed the soap, wiping it over his calves and feet, the scent covering up the stink of the sick and then he went back to his teeth, spitting over and over until the flavor was replaced by strong mint. 

Finally he stood still. Letting the water wash over him, noticing the red tinge to his skin and the pruning of his fingers. He must have been in longer than he realized. 

He shut the water off and got out, toweling dry and redressing in new clothes, throwing the others in a laundry pile. 

He lay on the bed, throwing an arm over his eyes as he continued to process his thoughts. Or not. Maybe it was best to shut them down, at least until after the Op. 

The burner phone on his side table buzzed. He picked it up to see three text messages and two missed calls. All from the number programmed in as 'S'.

He bit the top of the phone. He didn't want to call back. He didn't want to talk about what he'd done but he knew he had to or the cavalry would swoop in and everything would be for nothing. He'd have done that with Reyes for _**nothing**_ and he couldn't let that happen. 

He hit the button to redial and it was picked up instantly. "Danny? Where are you? What's going on? You haven't checked in."

"I'm in my motel room. I just got back from the club."

"You were in there longer than before, did something happen? Danny?" He asked as Danny stayed quiet on his end, not sure how to voice anything. 

"He's here."

"Who's here?"

"The boss. I met him."

"You… Danny, you don't sound okay…"

He cleared his throat and tried to sound more upbeat. "Marco Reyes. R-E-Y-E-S. That's his name. From Colombia. Have Fryer start looking into him."

"That's… that's good, Danny. That's great."

He cut Steve off before he could continue. "Listen, don't worry about tonight. I'm not going to be on the street, I'm taking a night off. They want me to go in earlier tomorrow morning. I need to look good and Kono didn't pack me a suit so I'm going shopping for one this afternoon."

"Why a suit?"

"Guess I got promoted, I dunno. Must have made a good impression."

"What did you do?" Steve said. Danny could hear the contempt in his voice and though it was directed at the job, it felt like it was directed at him and Danny couldn't take it. He hung up the phone and pressed fingers into his eyes to stop the wetness from spreading. 

He coughed. He had to pull himself together. His phone buzzed insistently with a call but he clutched it in his hand without answering. 

He stood, grabbed his money and room key, pocketed the phone and left. Lying on his bed would just make him wallow and he couldn't do that right now. He was going to go shopping. He was halfway to the street when he realized he didn't have his earwig. Again, as much as he wasn't in the mood for it right now, he knew if he didn't have it in, Steve would get worried and pull the plug on everything.

He went back, popped it in and left once more, heading to the bus stop to go downtown.

*

There was radio silence, which he wasn't sure was a good or bad thing. He'd bought a new suit with the money Reyes had paid him with, then gone for some Chinese takeout to bring back to the room for dinner. 

When he got in, he automatically reached for his belt, only his gun wasn't there.

"Christ, Steve, what the hell?" he asked, as he closed the door behind him, checking to see if anyone had seen anything. 

Steve stayed sitting in the corner chair. "You didn't answer your phone."

"I have this," he pointed to his ear and then dug the earwig out. "The phone is supposed to be for when I don't have this in. Which I do. You could have used it."

"Then everybody would hear our conversation and I don't think you want that."

"Yeah?"

"Yes," Steve stood, frowning, bags visible under his dark eyes. "The team are working on what you gave us already. Fryer seems happy."

"You don't," Danny commented as he hung the suit over the wardrobe door and placed the Chinese on the table.

"Because I know you. And I know something's eating at you when you try not to think which is what you're doing right now and if it's what I think it is…"

"You'll what? Huh?" Danny turned on his heel and threw an angry look at Steve, lashing out. "Hit me? Hit Fryer for bringing me in again? Hit Reyes for doing it? Burn the building down? What? What are you gonna do? Or are you just going to keep looking at me like that and make me feel even worse…"

He trailed off and looked away. Steve was over to him in a shot, pulling him into his arms despite his protests and he couldn't help the trail of wetness that escaped his eyes. 

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry," he said, muffled against Steve's t-shirt. 

Steve was silent for long moments as he held Danny tight. It still worried him. The silence sounded tense, unforgiving and Danny thought it was over, all over, and Steve would never be able to look at him again without seeing this between them. 

"It wasn't you, not really," Steve finally said. "It's not your fault, it's his. It's ours. All of us that sent you in there."

Steve led Danny over to the bed and they climbed on, siting up by the headboard but wrapped around each other with light, calming strokes of hands.

Steve sighed. "This was never supposed to happen. It was just about getting information. We can pull you out, you've done everything you need to - you got us the name, that's all Fryer ever asked for."

Danny leaned up, elbow on Steve's chest. "I can't," he said as he met Steve's eyes, both men softening their glances, inevitability shining through. They both wanted justice. They both wanted to see Reyes go down in flames, more so now. Taking Danny off the case would make it obvious he was a mole and a cop and would make further investigation more difficult. Not to mention, it would leave him feeling incredibly guilty for giving up before it was over. He could live with what he was doing, he'd get past it. He just needed to know if Steve could. 

"I can deal with it." he said, fingers curling in Steve's shirt. "But if you want me out, then I'm out. You're more important to me and I don't want all this to fuck us up."

"Whatever it is that we are."

"Precisely."

"Maybe we should actually decide what that is," Steve suggested. 

They'd been living together since Danny joined Five-0. They'd been having a lot of sex, though they'd also dated other people (the sex stopped when that happened), but that had only been for the first year or so, with Steve sometimes seeing Catherine when she was in town and Danny being stupid and thinking he and Rachel could make another go of it, but all that was in the past now.

They'd always refused to say they were boyfriends or some other label except partners - though they never corrected people's assumptions. So what were they? Fuck buddies, lovers, partners, significant others… a couple? Whatever they were, did it have to grow, evolve? Had it already and they hadn't paid attention? It had started out completely as lust. Danny even thought some of it was just the high from working together on the first case and being forced to be so close. 

Surprisingly, it was Steve, the man of bottled up emotions, who always seemed to be the more committed of the two of them. Danny shied away from serious relationships. It had failed spectacularly with Rachel. Twice. And on top of that, he just assumed it would end in epic failure again so why try so hard only for it to hurt worse? Hell, maybe this was it. What he'd been waiting for. The catalyst for their epic failure of a relationship. 

Danny shook the thoughts from his head. "Maybe after this is all done we can do that."

"I know it's fake. I know it's an act you're putting on and I trust you. I just don't trust anyone else, especially when they look at you like you're a piece of meat for them to do with as they please. Punching Frank Delano out was one of the greatest achievements of my life."

Danny smiled at that. "I wish I'd seen it for myself."

Steve brought his hand to Danny's cheek. "The moment you want out. _**The moment**_. We pull you. Until then, I've got your back."


	8. Chapter 8

Steve left, carefully. Danny tried to sleep but struggled, worry clouding his thoughts about a great many things and the buzzing in his head never quietened down enough for him to switch off. 

In the morning, he made himself look as good as possible. The suit fit him nicely, his shirt was open with the top buttons undone, showing a good amount of skin. His bow-tie was hanging from his neck on either side, and his hair looked immaculate with not a single strand out of place.

When he arrived at the club he was shown in and met with Olivia. "There you are," she greeted him. "You look good, well done. Marco asked that you sit in with him today."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you and a select few others, all high-enders, accompany him in a business meeting."

"Are we there to schmooze and talk him up or are we… you know… merchandise?" he asked, meaning that maybe they were there as entertainment to keep associates happy, or to land a deal or whatever, but once he said it he realized that maybe he _did_ mean merchandise. Maybe these people were traffickers or potential buyers - that would explain the disappearances. This could be big. And Danny had only been back in the game three days. 

"Marco hand selected all of you after trying you out, that means he likes you. Just be nice to everybody in there and whatever happens, happens," she said as she showed him down the hall. 

If Reyes 'liked' him and these others, maybe that meant they were safe. The last thing Danny needed was to be kidnapped out of the club - it was, after all, the only place he didn't have back up. And Steve would kill him.

Danny's presence was acknowledged with a nod and a wave of a glass from Reyes as he entered, indicating he should walk the room. He smiled at some of the others he knew were from the club - Naomi, Lisa, Cesca and Jackson were looking at their finest as they talked with the men in the room. 

He worked his way around but got nothing more than a few first names and small talk about the weather, the busiest spots in Waikiki and, in one stand out conversation, whether he knew how to do a hula. 

He was beckoned over by Reyes after ten or so minutes and handed a glass of what smelled like good bourbon. Reyes put an arm over Danny's shoulders. "Danny, this is Johnny Moreau, a good friend of mine and associate. We've done a lot of business together, hopefully that will continue."

"I take it that means you both make a good profit from the partnership," Danny said, smiling between them.

"So far, so good," Moreau said. "Tell me, Danny, I was just asking Marco if I'd met you before. I feel like I recognize you."

"I dunno," Danny answered. "If you worked with the club's former owner then it's possible. I was here then."

"Perhaps that's it," Moreau's smile was like Danny's; too polite, cagey, not giving anything away. 

"Danny has been back in Hawaii for a short while but has proved popular already, which I have heard is the same as when he was last working here. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It seems it's rather true," his hand fell from Danny's shoulder to grab at his ass. "And he scrubs up nice."

"What of this announcement you had for us today?" Moreau asked. "That is why we're all here."

Reyes looked around. "Yes, I do believe everyone has arrived," he said and turned to Danny again, fingers going under his glass, pushing it to his lips. "Drink up, Danny," he ordered, in a recognizable tone from the day before. 

Danny let out a breath after he finished. It was definitely the _good_ bourbon and it made his head spin after just a double shot, while Marco gave him a dark smile.

"If I could get everyone's attention," Reyes started, taking Danny's drained glass from him and clinking it against his own before turning to put them both down on the table behind them. "I want to thank all of you for being here today. You are all professionals I have had the pleasure of doing business with and I firmly believe we have made a lot of money by working together. We have shown trust in each others' skills and specialties in order to build the lives we want for ourselves. But I have asked you all to be here today because someone in this group has broken that trust. As much as we are equals in our dealings I want you all to know that if you cross me, you face the direst of consequences." With that, Reyes pulled a gun from behind his back, aimed and shot at one of the guests who was leaning on a bookcase. He fell to the floor, blood spurting from a wound in his chest. Reyes approached him and shot him square in the head, ending any suffering, and putting to rest any doubts about his position.

Gun away, he turned to those assembled and ignored the sniffles and yelps from Cesca, who had been right beside the man who had been shot. 

"I believe I have made myself clear." Reyes shifted his suit jacket on his shoulders. "There is no reason we cannot continue to profit together."

"What did he do?" Moreau piped up. 

Reyes looked over at him. "He tried to steal from me. Now I need to find a new money launderer. Everyone should leave now, all except my five in house workers." His tone brooked no argument and the others headed out, not wanting to be involved with the removal of the body on the floor.

Danny didn't know what to do. Reyes had committed murder in front of him. He was a witness. This could be enough to bring him down, if he could just get word to the others about the body and they could intercept, then they'd have everything they needed to get him on at least one count of murder and Danny was the most reliable eyewitness they could possibly get.

"Why do this in front of us?" Danny asked, the bravest of the people still in the room. "You could have sent us out first instead of making us witnesses to a murder." He kept his hands visible in front of him, he didn't want to seem too confident, or that he'd spent enough time in similar situations.

"I could have, but none of you will be talking," he said, meeting Danny's eyes curiously. "Gentlemen!" he yelled and through the doors came six burly security men. One of which, Danny's attention was drawn to - South American, with a big scar down his face and a wonky eye. Shit.

"What's going on?" Naomi blurted out, voice going up in pitch with worry. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want to die," Cesca wiped at her eyes.

"We won't say anything, we swear, don't we?" Jackson looked around the others who nodded with wet, wide eyes. "We never saw anything."

Reyes flicked his head and the men closed in, taking hold of the others in the room who began sobbing, or stood stock still in shock. One of them grabbed onto Danny's arms and his instinct was to fight it off, he couldn't help himself as he shook the grip, but the man just held tighter the second time. 

"I don't enjoy killing people," Reyes said. "It can get messy."

"So what's happening? You get these guys to do it? Take us into the rainforest or out in a boat to get rid of us? There was never any need to have us see this, or to do whatever you're doing now!"

"I have other plans for you." He turned to face the others with a smile. "For all of you." He moved around while he addressed them. "You have all proven to me that you are good at what you do. It has also attracted interested parties who have approached me as to your availability."

"What does that even mean?" Lisa asked, getting over her silence.

"It means you are all going to make me a substantial amount of money."

"You sold us." Danny said, the shoe dropping, surprising him, even if he had been practically expecting it. "There were others that are gone now. The same thing happened to them."

"What can I say? I was made offers I couldn't refuse," Reyes laughed at the line, but he was no Corleone and Danny could see through him.

"It's sick,"' Danny squared up to him, despite the guard holding his arms behind his back. 

"Take them away. Not him," Reyes spoke, but his attention was on Danny as the others were led out of the door, protesting as they went. He walked slowly up to where Danny was being held and sighed as he looked at him, head tilted.

Danny met his glare and didn't back down. If this was all happening then he had nothing to lose. Sure, they didn't know he was a cop and if they did he'd have a bullet in his head in the next five seconds, but there was nothing wrong with being resistant to having your life ruined.

"I'm not selling you," he said to Danny, smiling out of one side of his mouth. 

"But the others-"

"They have destinations across the world where they will be taken care of by people who have paid me generously for the opportunity."

"You sold them. But not me," Danny clarified. "I don't get it."

"Give me his hand," Reyes gestured to the brute behind Danny, who brought one of Danny's hands out from behind his back and handed it to Reyes who then stepped forward, held Danny's wrist and brought it to his groin. 

He was hard. Danny wanted to throw up. This fucker got hard doing this kind of shit, it was disgusting. He wanted to see him behind bars. 

Or dead. Dead would be good, too.

"You're staying with me," he said. "Now get on your knees," he ordered but Danny didn't respond.

"I may not be the most squeaky clean of guys, but I can draw the line," he stood up to Reyes, hand still on the other man's groin and tempted to squeeze painfully hard. That was, until the sound of a cocking gun behind his head made him reconsider. 

"I don't ask twice," Reyes said, put a hand on Danny's shoulder and pushed him down. 

He couldn't look behind, he didn't know what was truly happening but it was clear that if he didn't do what he was told, his lights would go out instantly and at close range. He didn't have options. If he wanted to stay alive, if he wanted to see Grace again and get his regular life back then he had to play along and hope for an escape or a rescue.

Humiliation or death, there really wasn't a choice.

On his knees, gun still pressing into the back of his skull, he unzipped Reyes pants, pushed his underwear aside and brought the man's hard dick out. 

"Don't think about the gun, Danny, just open your mouth and swallow me down," Reyes said, hands on either side of Danny's head, fingertips digging in, moving his head into position as Danny sucked at the tip of his cock, loosening his jaw and prepping himself for that moment that Reyes would thrust forward and fill his mouth. 

He kept his gag reflex at bay for the first few thrusts but the further the man pushed, the harder it got until he couldn't help but choke, his instinct to spit, to get it out, but his head was held still and the barrel of the gun was making round marks at the back of his head and his eyes began to tear up at the need to keep coughing.

He thought he might throw up, it felt like everything was coming from deep down inside him as Reyes' dick pushed in over and over again. He held his breath, felt the trickles from his eyes move slowly down his cheeks, the saliva starting to pour from his mouth, the strands resting on Reyes' dick.

When Reyes came, he pulled out fast and Danny bent forward, coughing, spluttering, cum landing in his hair. His head was roughly pulled back and he opened his mouth again for the last drops to go into his mouth. Reyes rubbed his wet dick over Danny's face, then used his thumb to push any of the cum there into Danny's mouth. 

"Eat it, whore."

Danny swallowed, stopped himself from bringing it back up and tamped down, his free hand going to his stomach as he stared at Reyes feet. 

Reyes tucked himself away again, then stepped between Danny's kneeling legs and ran fingers through his hair, cum spreading further into the strands. He leaned down, arms going around Danny's head and shoulder and hugging him closer. He pressed a kiss onto Danny's head.

He didn't know what was happening, what Reyes was doing, what he was expecting, how to react. He felt shaky. He couldn't see it; there were no tremors but inside he was shaking like crazy. His hands that were clutching into his own pants moved, almost of their own volition, and instead clutched at Reyes legs, just above the back of his knees. 

After a few moments, Reyes came down to his level, balancing himself with one knee on the ground as he manipulated Danny's head to look at him. "How's your Spanish?"

"My spa-?"

"I'll assume it's not very good. We'll find you a teacher once we get home."

"I don't understand."

"I can have my pick of whores in Colombia but I'm bored with them. They're all the same and they wear out so fast. You," he pointed at Danny, "you have that American, yankee-doodle, anything you can do I can do better, hopefulness. I just proved right now that your willful attitude can be tamed, but the fire is still inside you to keep you going."

"You held a gun to my head," Danny argued. 

"There it is," he almost laughed. "Don't lose it, Danny. It's a hell of a turn on."

Danny turned his head, forcing it from Reyes grasp and spat in his face.

It was wiped off with ease, calmly. Until Reyes face turned to a snarl in an instant and he lashed out, backhanding Danny hard enough for him to fall to the side.

"Hog tie him and gag him for the trip. I don't want him pulling attention to us."

"Yes, sir."

"And get Olivia in here to deal with the rest of this mess. We need it gone. Now."


	9. Chapter 9

Danny couldn't move, not properly. His legs and arms were tied together behind his back and his mouth had been covered with a gag. 

The car was moving now, and he couldn't turn where he was in the trunk, couldn't draw attention to them. He didn't know what was fully going on but he knew they were trying to get out of the country and he was being taken with them. 

He felt disgusting. He had the remnants of Reyes cum over him, the smell assaulted his nostrils constantly and he couldn't throw up because his mouth was blocked and that need was ever present. With every outward breath he was on the verge of being sick and yet he had to talk himself down with every inward breath. He had to gather himself, he had to pay attention for opportunities to get free. 

He did have an ace up his sleeve - he wasn't what they thought he was. Yes, they were wary of his strength and obstinate attitude, but they didn't know he was a cop. He wasn't going to tip his hand, not yet. The moment he announced who he was, they'd kill him. He was outmanned, outgunned, and right now, tied up and defenseless. His best course of action was to play along further, to wait for his shot. He'd keep thinking that way, keep knowing that he _**was**_ going to get his chance.

He lifted his head when he heard sirens. A lot of them, getting closer. His hopes rising. Closer. But they went past, in the opposite direction, and the car he was in didn't speed up, didn't slow down, didn't change its pattern. 

Fuck. 

He couldn't rely on rescue. He was on his own in that club, he didn't have back up that could swoop in. It was there, but it had no idea he was in trouble. He'd been out of contact a while, the question was how long they would wait. How long Steve would give him before he called a halt, risking the whole Operation, to make sure Danny was okay.

*

They got him on a plane and his stomach dropped when it lifted off into the air. He felt a sense of loss, of loneliness. Five-0 were back there on the ground. HPD. Hell, FBI were down there, not up here. And not in Colombia. 

He was on his own with this. His hope of rescue was being dashed and everything was riding on his own survival, for escape, for the opportunity to present itself and for him to recognize it when he saw it and considered the odds in his favor. 

He'd been untied, except for his hands which were still behind his back and his gag had been removed. He'd then been dumped into the toilet cubicle. It had been blocked so he couldn't get out. He knew shouting and banging was pointless and hadn't bothered. He'd tried to work a way out - the ceiling, unblocking the door, but there was nothing he could find to help and he was restrained too much - his hands were no good. Besides, the men on the other side of the door had guns. He had toilet paper.

When the plane leveled out, when he knew they were getting farther and farther away from help, the door opened and he was beckoned out by the shake of a pistol. The same brute that had held him before was in charge. He took a moment, making sure of what was going on around him, then he poked his head out, balance slightly off as he walked. 

There were three other guards in the plane with Reyes. It was clearly a private jet, with big, comfortable looking chairs, plenty of room to move around, and what looked like plenty of alcohol. 

One of the other guards walked up to him with a glass and Reyes watched, fascinated, despite supposedly working with his laptop out in front of him. He didn't need to be told what to do, the orders were clear and he downed the drink that was held to his lips - straight vodka - as quickly as he could. There had been a lot in there, half a glass maybe which probably accounted for five or six shots.

"Is this a party plane?" the third guard asked, one knee on his chair, elbow over the top of it as he drank a darker liquid.

"Not yet," Reyes warned him. "That comes later, you know that."

"Any hole's the goal!" the guard saluted with his glass. The other one smiled but the brute remained steady, gun still pointed in Danny's direction as he sat in a chair at the back that faced the entire area.

Danny rolled his shoulders in and drank once more when his glass was refilled by the second guard. Not quite so much that time but he choked off a wheeze. It was strong vodka, probably expensive - Reyes could afford it. Hearing the guard talking was far from reassuring and his nerves came to the forefront. Being in the club was one thing, when there was backup somewhere, where there were other people who could hear a commotion, where he could get a chance to run and be outside in mere minutes. This was a plane, headed out of the country and these men were not messing around. They knew what they could do, they knew what they thought they could get away with, and disappearing Danny meant he was fair game for anything under the sun. 

"Come here," Reyes patted the arm of his chair, then twitched his fingers in direction when Danny hesitated. 

When he was stood in front of Reyes, the man reached for his bound wrists, wrapped his fingers around them, took the glass from him with his other hand and pulled him down on top of him. 

"You're for me, Danny. Pedro's just talking."

"It's still a party," the third guy snorted. "He's still getting fucked with so it's a party." 'Pedro' was getting drunk, very drunk and had likely started before Danny had been let out of the toilet cubicle.The brute was stone cold sober, the second man wasn't drinking either and Reyes, well he had been sipping at something but barely.

Danny was feeling the effects of drinking so quickly, especially on an empty stomach and having felt as sickly as he had. Desperate to expel everything from his stomach, it hadn't taken long for his brain to feel fuzzy. 

Reyes had him sitting across his lap. He felt his head hanging off the man's shoulder, one leg up over the arm of the chair and his pants were being fumbled with. 

He looked to see Reyes' hand sneaking under, pushing the material away and taking Danny's cock out. He began pumping it; the physical sensations sparking inside Danny despite his brain shouting 'no' as loudly as possible. He tried to move his hands, an automatic reaction to push Reyes away but they were caught in the bindings and didn't move.

"Don't fight it. If you do, I'll let him have his party. Do as you're told, Danny. Get hard and come."

Fuck. His options were the shittiest. A man with a gun watching to make sure he did what he was supposed to, and even if he tried to rebel just that little bit, he was given the option of a punishment worse than what he was already living. Pictures flashed in front of his eyes, those IDs of illegal immigrants that had been taken advantage of, kids, girls, young men on the streets that had vanished and not just with this case but others he'd worked. Kids like Coco and he wondered if this was the kind of thing they had been subjected to. 

He'd heard stories, he'd seen interviews, witness testimony. He'd worked Vice a long time and thought he'd seen it all. He'd never expected to live it. 

He drifted, his hazy mind imagining something nice. But not Steve, it couldn't be Steve, he couldn't taint his life with Steve by imagining him now. But he had to think of something so it became a mix of other encounters… Vanessa, his prom date. Valerie, who he'd made out with under the bleachers while she was in her cheerleading outfit. Chris, the lacrosse player at college that he'd met at a frat party. Famous people, scenes from movies or heck, porn that he'd watched at various points, he used everything he could think of.

And he got hard. The touch was one sensation, his brain supplied the rest and he got hard. He rocked his hips into the touch, Reyes encouraging him to be loose and to go with it, to be the tamed and needy captive he wanted.

He felt himself draw closer, knew he was about to come and there was movement, Reyes reaching for something and changing the angle he was jerking Danny at. Something cold touched the end of his cock and he looked to see Reyes holding his glass and Danny came, spurting into it, the tumbler catching everything he was giving.

Fully emptied, his head fell back. Wet fingers pressed at his lips. "Suck it off," Reyes ordered in his ear and he tasted the saltiness of cum; his own cum. What wasn't in the glass was on Reyes' fingers and he wanted them licked clean. 

His hazy brain wasn't fully grasping what was going on around him. He'd heard the laughing but had shut it out as a distraction. The humiliation of being watched while Reyes got him off wouldn't have helped him speed the process up but now he was done, he could sense the feeling on the plane that he was nothing. He was a toy. His junk was still hanging out, Reyes still played with it, stroking fingers up the sensitive shaft, swirling over a naked thigh, then up and under his top to stroke his stomach.

"Give it here," the third guard, Pedro, said and Danny watched as he took the glass of Danny's cum and, a hand furiously jacking himself, he quickly came, mingling their fluids together. He came so fast, Danny knew he must have been getting off on the sight of Danny being used as he had been.

The bastard then poured more vodka into the cup and handed it back to Reyes who brought it to Danny's lips. "All of it, Danny."

He wanted to refuse. Desperately wanted to refuse. It was disgusting. He looked at it, smelled it, knew exactly what it was, the bits of semen separating and floating around in the clear liquid. "Swallow, _**puto**_. I won't ask again."

Danny's head came up to meet the glass, his teeth covering Reyes' fingers and he tried to control it as the liquid sloshed into his mouth but Reyes' other hand came around the back of his shoulder and over, grabbing his jaw, opening him wider and making him take the rest. Some of it dribbled from the side of his mouth and down onto his chest, the rest he had no choice but to take, spluttering as the last of it went down and his stomach muscles tightened as the bile rose back into his throat with each cough, He turned, tried to lean over the side of the seat and throw it up, feeling it at the back of his throat again but that hand moved from his jaw and covered his mouth, refusing to let him. 

His body turned on Reyes' lap and as he convulsed, sick right there in the back of his throat wanting to get out but not allowed, he felt a hard slap to his bare ass and then a shove and he was mostly on the floor in front of Reyes' seat. He was manhandled around, pants and underwear bunching at his thighs making it difficult to move his legs, his arms still locked behind him and a hand pulling at his hair so hard to feel like it was being yanked out. 

He grimaced as he choked down again and got his knees underneath him to get more height, hoping the ripping feeling on his head would be eased. 

"Say thank you to Cousin Pedro," he was ordered. 

"Thank you, Pedro," Danny said, laughing when he got to Pedro's name. His half-drunk brain realizing that Pedro wasn't a guard but family, which would explain why Marco was letting him get so drunk on the plane. He should have seen it sooner. Detective skills needed to be sharpened. He giggled again, the sound low in his throat.

"Thank him for giving you your favorite drink."

Danny laughed. "I don't like vodka."

Reyes gave a quick smile, a rye kudos to Danny's drunkenness. He reached to the side, his hand out waiting, until Pedro put the half empty bottle of vodka into his hand. He brought it to Danny's lips, used the hand in his hair to pull Danny's head right back and poured the vodka down his throat. A lot of it just fell onto Danny's rumpled shirt and trailed down, wetting his chest and stomach, going lower and into his exposed groin. "Say thank you," he warned. 

"Thank you," Danny spluttered. "For the semen cocktail thing. Thanks, Pedro."

Reyes produced a couple of pills and held them up. "Open up, Danny. You're going to swallow these for me."

"What are they?" he asked. 

"We're going to arrive home in a few hours and I need to get you off the plane and it'll be easier if I don't have to worry about that smart mouth of yours. They'll just put you to sleep for a little while."

He kept the bottle of vodka between his knees and motioned for one of the guards to force Danny's jaw apart while he held onto Danny's hair and got the pills inside his mouth. He picked the bottle back up again, and used it to make Danny wash the pills down, more sloshing out and onto Danny's already sodden clothing. 

Danny was pushed back and he fell onto the floor, eyes glazing as he stared up at the ceiling and listened to the roar of the engines beneath him, or to the side of him. It didn't matter, from down on the floor they were louder, that was what he meant. He tried to turn onto his side - his arms uncomfortable under his back but a foot on his chest prevented him from moving.

"Fuck," Danny breathed out. "I just-"

"If I kicked him in the head he'd pass out faster," Pedro suggested. 

"Any bruising his body incurs will be by my hand. He's _my_ whore," Marco reiterated to his cousin. "You have your own whores to play with. It's not my fault they aren't here right now to entertain you. Try watching a movie or reading a book."

"Can I jack off over him later?"

Reyes narrowed his eyes as he saw Danny was fading. "I don't see why not."

Danny turned his head, watching people's feet as his muggy brain made the colors around him begin to wash out. "Ste-" he started but didn't finish. A warning in his head told him not to say that name. He needed to keep it locked up safe inside. Safe where Reyes couldn't get at it.


	10. Chapter 10

When he came to, he really wished he hadn't. 

The headache was the first thing he noticed. Too much alcohol too quickly, sleeping pills and an empty, upset stomach conspired to make him feel like utter shit. Then the realization that he was wearing nothing but lightweight pants and both his wrists were manacled to the wall by a long chain, didn't help. 

He grimaced as he looked around himself. It was dark, dank, the floor was cold and there was a drip somewhere. No windows, no light except from under a door at the top of a set of stone stairs. The only thing in the room seemed to be a table and in the corner stood some rusted oil drums. He didn't dare think what might be in them, but he was adamant it wasn't likely to be oil.

He stood carefully, mindful of the sluggishness of his brain. The rest of him seemed okay, except for the fact that he smelled like… well, he smelled like a brothel's sewer - covered still in alcohol, spit, semen and the funk of unclean. They may have changed his clothes, but he hadn't been washed in any way. Hell, considering everything, there was a high chance that some of the bodily fluids on him were from while he had been unconscious. 

He pushed that thought aside quickly. Though, testing how he felt, he hadn't been penetrated yet. He didn't know why they hadn't. It was like Reyes had been saving that. Or maybe the guy just liked blow jobs and weird cum kinks. 

He considered what he knew. He'd been brought to, what must be, Colombia. Not that he was seeing anything distinctly Colombian, but that was his final destination so he assumed this was it. There were sounds from above, like that of a bar maybe, or some kind of gambling den? But the voices were just a cacophony of white noise with no discernible language coming through.

He had to have been out for a minimum of six hours, going by the length of the flight and however quickly they could get him from an airport to wherever he was now, but he'd estimated it could be up to ten hours or so. Which meant that surely by now the cavalry had been mobilized. But what were the odds that Steve and the others had any clue that he was out of the country? Hell, they probably had no idea he was off the _**Island**_. They probably thought he'd been taken somewhere in the rainforest or he'd been killed and the body had been dumped already. He didn't mean to sound defeatist but, despite his optimism when it came to the 'not allowing anyone on the team to be dead', he still struggled to not go to the worst case scenario when it involved him. 

He had to rely on himself right now, the problem was he had no idea where he was, how many people he might have to get past, or just how strong Reyes might even be. He'd not tipped his hand at all so far, and Danny had been waiting, hoping for that to happen so that he could make a better estimation as to his chances. 

All he knew for sure was that he didn't fancy meeting cousin Pedro again.

He twisted the manacles on his arms. Tough, heavy, very medieval, really. He dug his fingers under them to try and prize them apart, then he tried squeezing his hands through them but to no avail. He then began pulling at the chains on the walls. There was plenty of give, or rather, they'd allowed him the freedom to move around down here but not by much, just about six feet or so in a radius from the wall. He pulled, leaning back, putting his weight and his strength behind it but the sound of metal pulling apart or concrete falling from the wall was allusive. 

He rolled his shoulders, then they fell dejectedly. He was hungry and thirsty - since breakfast he'd only had vodka and… that. No matter what time it was, or what time _**zone**_ , he hadn't had anything in a very long time, and he was weakened by it. He had a feeling Reyes would want to keep him healthy. Danny may be some kind of slave to him, but he seemed to be wanting Danny to use in the long run, and he could only do that if he kept him in decent condition. His instinct would be to fight it, to show defiance, but it was dumb, stupid. He would need to eat and drink when it was offered to make sure he kept his strength up, and he'd just have to swallow his pride when that happened. 

He wasn't sure how long it was; twenty minutes, maybe half an hour, before the door at the top of the stairs opened. He stood from where he had slumped against the wall and braced himself for whoever was starting to come down the stairs with heavy steps. He brought a hand to shield his eyes against the brightness coming from the doorway, unused to it after the darkness of the hole he was in.

He straightened when he saw the gun, and the brute holding it. "He's awake," the brute said into a radio. Once at the bottom of the stairs, he didn't take his eyes off Danny. Gun held steady, he made his way into a dark corner and waited, still and silent and on guard.

"Not a big talker, are you," Danny commented, breaking the silence. 

"I don't pay him for his conversational skills," a familiar silky voice from above said. Danny looked up, squinting again in the light from the door to see Reyes standing there in his tailored suit. "Much like I don't pay you for yours." He walked down the stairs.

"You don't pay me at all," Danny commented. 

Reyes smiled as he drew up in front of Danny, making himself taller as he pulled himself up, making sure he was looking down at Danny. "Your mouth is better put to other tasks."

"That's nice. But if it's all the same to you, I'd prefer some intellectual discourse. Maybe a heated debate."

"Someone betrayed me, Danny," Reyes shifted the conversation quickly.

"I know. I saw you kill him."

"Not him," Reyes' face turned serious. "The Police raided shortly after we left. They found the body. I am unsure as to how much Olivia may have told them about me so until then, we must hide out in this hovel," he looked around him, a hint of disgust on his face. "It's a shame, really. I was very much looking forward to seeing you in my bed." He trailed a finger down Danny's cheek. "I have so many plans for you and now they must sit on the back burner."

"That's… a real shame," Danny said back, trying to keep the relief out of his voice while also doing his best not to sound sarcastic and antagonistic. 

Reyes laughed. "No need to hide that fire inside, Danny. I can still hear it in your voice no matter how careful you think you are being," he took a slow walk around Danny, keeping his lips close to Danny's ear as he spoke. "Remember, it turns me on. All that defiance radiating from inside you. That hidden resolve. I enjoy making you do things you don't want to do."

Danny bit his lips, sucking the lower one in to keep the instinctual biting remarks back, mainly because he was itching to yell 'cop' at him, to tell him how much shit he was in, to tell him there were people looking for him who wouldn't give up. "Shouldn't you be worrying about your business interests rather than me?"

"Here in Colombia I am a respected real estate developer. There's no reason to suspect me of any crimes. I am perfectly safe. Yes, I have lost a venture in Hawaii, but it is one of many. My overseas interests will recover, my trafficking routes will evolve."

"But you said you're hiding here."

"As a precaution. Nothing more." Reyes sidled close to Danny's back and slid his hand down his spine, slipping it under the elastic waistband of his pants as if it wasn't there before moving down the crack of Danny's ass until his middle finger could push against his hole.

Danny tensed. "What happened to the back burner?"

Reyes licked the back of Danny's neck. "We can still have fun without the bed."

"Your definition of fun is very different from mine," Danny fisted his hands at his sides, then stretched his fingers out, knowing now wasn't a time he could do anything. Not with a gun pointed at him and being chained to a wall. Even if he did take these two guys out, he'd still be trapped down here.

"And you'll change to my way of thinking if you know what's good for you," Reyes reached out and took hold of Danny's jaw, making his lips distort with the force. "Down where you belong, _**puto**_ ," he demanded with hardening eyes. 

Danny slowly moved to his knees, eyes on Reyes' the whole time. His head was roughly pushed aside as Reyes let go of him, hands going instead to open his pants and pull out his hardening dick. True to his word, humiliating Danny was something that turned him on and Danny's eyes were drawn to the result. 

"Choke on it," Reyes said, voice low, gruff. His hands splayed on Danny's head, hair caught between as the fingers tightened and forced his head still as the cock in front of Danny was lined up with his mouth. He opened wide and screwed his eyes shut, mentally preparing himself for the moment his breathing would be cut off. 

Reyes' dick moved in fast, right to the back of his throat, hitting his gag reflex over and over as he pushed in and out of Danny's mouth. One of the hands in his hair moved down to his cheek and jaw, a thumb pressing inside his mouth alongside the hard cock, forcing his mouth open further, pressing down against his tongue, making the ache in his jaw worse. It then moved to grip Danny's neck in a stranglehold to match the one on his hair, holding his head in the position he wanted while he pumped his dick in and out at a rapid pace, not caring as Danny choked; spit and pre-cum pouring out the side of his mouth.

His face was slapped. "Pay attention!" he yelled at Danny. "Open your eyes and watch."

Reyes seemed to enjoy it, every time Danny jerked forward with the need to gag, his throat contracting, breath erratic, lips glistening and cheeks turning red as he tried to breathe through it. 

"Look at it slide in and out of that mouth, taking it all. I'm going to enjoy using you when you're naked and tied up in my rooms. Fuck!" he exclaimed as his orgasm overtook him, the first spurts landing at the back of Danny's throat, swirling in his mouth, but he roughly pushed Danny back to sprawl on the ground and jerked most of the cum out with his hand, some of it landing on Danny's chest, the rest hitting the dirty, cold stone floor in front of him.

He grabbed for Danny again. "Spit it out," he held Danny's head over the line of cum on the ground and Danny was confused, he thought Reyes got off on seeing Danny eating it but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth and he spat out everything he could. 

As he knelt up straight again, Reyes ran his finger through the mix of semen on Danny's chest and brought it up, running it over Danny's lips like a balm and enjoying the sight of it glistening in the low light of the room. 

"Very nice," he started. "You look good covered in my cum." he looked down. "It's a shame to let all that go to waste." He pointed at the ground and Danny followed the line of his finger and his mind blanked. What Reyes wanted, he didn't know. Was he going to make Danny scoop it up? Because that was disgusting. A shiver ran through his body as he imagined it. 

"Hands and knees over it," Reyes barked at him then leaned down and put two of his fingers in front of Danny's mouth. "Suck."

Danny took the fingers in, running his tongue over them, coating them with saliva before Reyes took them out of his mouth again and with his other hand, roughly pushed Danny's head down to the ground. On instinct, Danny fought the strength, trying to not let his head hit the concrete. 

"Get your face in it," Reyes demanded. "You've got a talented tongue so use it. Lick it up. All of it."

"But," Danny started. 

"All of it. Do not talk back to me, there will be consequences."

Danny's eyes strained to look up from where his head had been savagely pushed down and saw the gun pointed in his direction. He held back something that might have been a sob, or just what was lately becoming a familiar taste of bile rising from his stomach and dropped his tongue from his mouth to gingerly touch against the ground. 

"You'll be here all day if you go that slow. Get it all up. I want to see every last drop gone. Just like a vacuum cleaner, Danny, suck it up." Reyes slipped a hand under Danny's stomach, bringing his hips high again, ass in the air, not letting it slump down with his upper body. 

He pushed the material of the pants down just far enough to expose Danny's ass and spat on it, the sound of it and the feel of the spittle landing on him made him jolt and for a moment he simply pressed his forehead to the ground, right against some of the cum he was supposed to be eating up. 

Fingers pushed against him, not giving him time to adjust to the feel of it as both thrust inside him at once as far as they could go.

"I'm going to get you hard Danny and you're going to cum on the floor. If what I've given you to eat isn't gone by the time you ejaculate, then you'll have to add all of it to your meal."

Danny didn't want to get hard, really didn't. Every fiber in his being, every thought in his head was dead set against it, but a hand stroking his cock and fingers pressing against his prostate meant his body was beginning to react even if he didn't want it to. He had no idea how long it would last. A part of him wanted it over quickly, to get Reyes away from him but if he did that, if he tried to get off quickly then he'd have to lick all the cum from the floor up quicker as well and keep his brain switched off from the taste, the texture, the dirt and keep swallowing.

He sped up and Reyes laughed at him. "I knew you wanted it," he said. "So desperate to eat my cum you'll even lick it off dirty old concrete."

Danny was on the verge of tears, humiliation stinging inside his chest, he couldn't help the whimper that escaped. For a moment, he let himself fall, wondering just how much worse things could get when there was an almighty bang from upstairs that stopped all three of the men downstairs and shocked them into silence, waiting the quiet millisecond for an explanation.


	11. Chapter 11

Gunfire. 

Lots of gunfire, it exploded above them in an unmistakable way. 

Reyes stood, a foot colliding with Danny's backside and pushing him over to sprawl on the ground. He looked at the brute in the corner. "Well don't just stand there, go up and find out what's going on!" If he'd had anything in his hands, Danny was sure Reyes would have thrown it across the room as the brute hurried upstairs. 

Left alone with Reyes, Danny looked up at him. The man looked worried. Danny wasn't sure what might be happening. Was this some kind of rival trying to move in on Reyes' turf? He had an opportunity and a split second of deliberation. Whoever was up there could be worse than Marco Reyes; could treat Danny worse. But if this was what Reyes was starting out with, then he wasn't sure that worse existed. 

He surged to his feet, a strangled yell on his lips. He reached his bound hand around Reyes' neck and pulled him backwards, forcing his whole body to follow Danny as he moved. Reyes' hands came up to fend Danny off but instead, Danny wrapped another length of the chain around the man and yanked him back again, twisting them, getting in front of Reyes and shoving him back over the sturdy table. 

He practically straddled him with one knee on his stomach, holding him in place. 

"You should be thanking me, huh? HUH?" Danny spat in the man's face. "Look at me. LOOK AT ME. Tell me 'thank you', you son of a bitch."

Despite spluttering for breath, Reyes attempted to laugh. "Thank you," he got out and Danny tightened the hold he had on him. "For being my bitch," he wheezed as he laughed again.

"Shut up," Danny warned him. "Look at me, I want you to look me in the eye. I'm an undercover cop, you piece of filth. I'm the reason you're going down. You're gonna lose everything and spend a long time in jail and I'm going to enjoy watching _**that**_."

Reyes' attempts to laugh stopped and his eyes widened as he took in Danny. "You may be a cop. But you're still my bitch!" There was a look of anger, betrayal, a realization of his own naiveté and of Danny's abilities dawning on him and he surged back at Danny, trying to get the upper hand. 

With Danny so weakened in his strength and Reyes short on oxygen it could have been evenly matched, but Danny had a determination that Reyes didn't and in that moment he tightened the chains on his neck so completely that sharp edges dug into Reyes' throat, blood beginning to pool and then he yanked so hard that he heard the snap on the man's neck. Every ounce of strength left Reyes' body and with it, so did all of Danny's. 

"I'm not your bitch," he slumped down over the dead man and took the opportunity to breath as he unwound the chain from Reyes' broken neck. He then turned his nose up at the blank eyes in front of him and pushed up to stand, a wobble in his step as he pulled the back of his pants up to cover himself. 

He looked up the stairs, wanting to yell that he was down here but he didn't. If Reyes' men had won, then he'd be in trouble for killing their boss and that was something that could be put off for a few seconds more. 

"DANNY!!!" came a yell from somewhere up above and Danny knew that voice like he knew his own.

"Steve," he said quietly to himself, in some parts a question but with shock and relief all pouring into it despite knowing Steve couldn't have heard him. 

There was no more gunfire. It had stopped sometime while Danny had been concentrating on his own fight. He took unsteady steps back towards the stairs, as far as the chains would allow and waited for what he hoped hadn't been his imagination. "Steve!" he said again, louder. 

"Danny?! Danny!" the door above pushed open and the barrel of a gun poked through, followed by Steve in full tac gear.

"It's clear," Danny told him as Steve made his way down the steps towards him, not putting his weapon down until he reached the bottom and looked around for himself. Happy that they were safe, he took one look at Danny, plastered a massive smile on his face and tried to come closer. 

Danny put his hands up, warding him off. "No, don't," he said. 

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Steve asked, concern blooming.

"I'm fine. I'll be fine." He gestured behind himself. "I don't think Reyes is going to be a threat anymore. Which means the Op is over, right?"

"Right," Steve nodded.

Danny held up his hands, showing off the heavy manacles at his wrists. "A little help?"

Steve pressed his hand to his ear. "Chin? I got him, but we need bolt cutters to get him free….. yeah, he's in one piece," Steve said back to Chin as he looked at Danny, clearly answering the 'is he okay' question but tactfully. Danny wasn't okay, not really, and it was easy to see. 

He looked down at himself. He was a state. Covered in filth and bodily fluids of every type, he stunk to high heaven of sweat, cum, stale alcohol and God knew what else… he heaved as he thought about it, his body catching up with the adrenaline high of taking Reyes on and his mind flashed to what had been happening in the lead up. He glanced at the floor, seeing Steve standing right on top of where he'd been licking the ground and he darted for the wall as he convulsed, his stomach muscles shouting at him for putting him through more dry heaves as he brought up everything he could, which wasn't much. 

He coughed; a trail of spit heading to the ground as he wiped his face with the back of his hand, belatedly feeling the warm weight of Steve's palm on his back and his murmured, calming words, telling him it was okay, everything would be fine now. "Don't touch me," Danny said and the warmth quickly left him, but it returned just as fast. 

"Danny, come on, let me help," Steve said, remaining calm as he turned Danny to see Chin standing there, bolt cutters in hand and a sympathetic look on his face. He cut the chains from Danny's outstretched hands then pulled the metal bindings apart to let them fall to the ground. Steve took Danny's wrists and inspected them for damage before rubbing them between his own hands.

He hadn't been gone long. He hadn't been held by Reyes for more than 24 hours and yet he felt like this was the closest he'd been to someone in ages and felt comfortable in their presence and he stared up into Steve's eyes. His soft, fond look must have been seen as permission, and Steve leaned in, intent on kissing Danny, but the shorter man bent his head back and to the side. "I mean it, I feel all disgusting, you shouldn't be touching me right now."

"I don't care about any of that. I followed you to Colombia not knowing what I'd find. If you were alive or..."

"Speaking of, how did you even know?" Danny asked. His question might have been vague, but it encompassed the entire rescue and Steve knew that. 

"I was probably about ten minutes away from storming the Golden Palace when Fryer called in, said an old CI of his was working as a janitor in the building and was reporting shots fired. That was all the excuse I needed, but we were too late and you were gone. Olivia Victor gave up the fact that Reyes was leaving the country on a private plane. We missed it, but we got the destination and I borrowed the Governor's plane to get us here as fast as possible."

"The Governor gave you his plane?" Danny asked, incredulous, surprised Denning would be so accommodating. 

Steve scratched his face and Chin spoke up on his behalf. "'Gave' implies he knew about it."

"You _**stole**_ the Governor's plane?" Danny yelled at Steve.

"He wasn't using it!" Steve shot back, shoulders raised, ready to defend himself in an argument.

"You are unbelievable," Danny shook his head. "Do I even want to know how you found out I was in this building?"

"We gave the Colombian authorities a heads up. They tracked him here and sat on the place until we arrived."

"Well, that's good. Hopefully we haven't sparked an international incident. You're banned from enough countries as it is."

"You don't want to go back to those ones anyway," Steve pointed out and Danny began walking towards the stairs, determined to get out of the hovel. He never looked over his shoulder at the dead man still slumped over on the table. 

"That's true. Colombia isn't looking too hot either." He stumbled on one of the steps, catching himself on Steve's arm. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, not likely to believe anything Danny said anyway. 

"Yeah. I'm not going to drink vodka ever again, but I'm okay."


	12. Chapter 12

It was the dead of night. He hadn't been expecting that. But he wasn't sure he'd been expecting the bright sunshine of day either. As they left the building, Colombian Police milling around, someone put a blanket over Danny's shoulders and he was led to a waiting ambulance where paramedics with little English began examining him. 

Steve was coordinating with Chin and a Colombian detective but his eyes glanced constantly in Danny's direction. 

Danny had no idea what the paramedics were saying to him, but the bottle of water thrust into his hands wasn't difficult to interpret. He knew he was dehydrated - he'd only had vodka to drink all day and he'd been puking his guts up so much - or trying to - that it just made things worse. He guzzled it down, not thinking, and ignoring the comments being told to him in too-fast Spanish. 

Once he drank most of the bottle his stomach revolted, and he turned his head and coughed it back up over the step of the bus. 

Steve rushed over, cautiously placing a hand on Danny's back while the other rubbed his blanket covered arm. "Hey, hey, it's okay, what happened? What did you do?" he asked the last to the paramedics who tried to tell him but although Steve understood a decent amount of Chinese and Arabic or whatever, Spanish seemed to allude him beyond basic high school level conversation. 

He beckoned an officer over who interpreted for them. "They say he drank too fast and body not ready. They want to take him in for night, get uh… tube into him," he gestured to his arm, miming a needle.

"No," Danny waved it off as he washed his mouth out with the last of the water, not risking swallowing it and instead spitting it out to the side. "We need to get home."

Steve crouched in front of him. "Danny, if you need medical attention-"

"The Governor will want his plane back and I want to sleep in my own bed. Can we do that? Please?"

Steve deliberated but it didn't take long. "Okay," he said, to please Danny, his hand shifting to Danny's cheek. "Okay, whatever you want." 

Despite Danny having thrown up, _again_ , and still making himself feel nauseous because of how vile he smelled and looked, Steve didn't care and took his chance to lean in and place a soft kiss on Danny's lips.

"Just give me five to finish up here and we'll be on our way."

*

Steve and Chin were like sentinels at Danny's side as they made their way back to the airport. Once there, Steve had flashed all manner of permissions to get Danny through, making the guards feel guilty given his status as 'smuggled involuntarily into the country as a kidnap victim', hence why he didn't have ID etc.

Once on the plane, Danny was relieved to notice it was different than the one that brought him here. Where Reyes' plane was his own, with a personal flair and looked much like someone's living room, this plane was more standard with seating lined down the fuselage just with more legroom and comfort than a regular flight would.

They had a stash of clothes for him and Danny disappeared into the toilet cubicle. He barely recognized himself in the mirror he was such a mess. He had very little to help fix that fact and would have to wait another seven or so hours until he could stand in a shower for eternity. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the dried flakes of cum, watching some of them fall out. He felt grimy, tacky to the touch, like there was a thin sheet of mess on him that he just wanted to get his fingernails under and rip off. He scratched his arm, then over his chest in some impossible chance that it would work.

He gathered up a generous helping of soap into his hands and rubbed it over his face, letting it trickle down into his neck and onto his chest, hoping the soap would help loosen the film of filth. He turned the small tap on and rubbed at himself, splashing the water everywhere on and around him; his bare feet beginning to slip across the tiled floor as he threw the water. He stuck his head into the sink. It was small and he didn't quite fit and the tap bumped his skull a few times, but he got soapy water through the locks and teased them out as best he could.

He finally stopped and looked at himself in the mirror. His body was tense, he had a shiver to him as the water cooled and the pants he'd been wearing since he was in the hovel's basement level were sopping wet. He pushed them down and off, toeing them away, he then grabbed the blanket from where it was laying over the toilet seat and used it to dry himself as best as possible, running it over his hair last, messing it all back up again. He dropped the blanket to the ground, letting it help in soaking up the layer of water he was standing in.

He rummaged in the bag they'd brought for him, finding deodorant and spraying it on himself to help with the smell that lingered despite the strong lavender hand soap he'd been using. He then pulled on underwear, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and attempted to tame his hair before taking a breath and going back into the main area of the plane.

When he opened the door it was to see Steve standing opposite, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed and staying silent.

"You needing in?" Danny gestured behind himself and Steve shook his head and motioned down, to where the water had leaked out from under the door and begun to pool on the carpet. Danny just shrugged. "It's incredibly difficult to wash when all you've got is a tiny tap and barely enough space to turn around," he explained before moving away and heading to one of the seats - he had a decent amount to choose from.

Steve sat beside him, boxing him in against the window as Danny looked outside over the wing, the plane slowly moving off so that it could taxi to the runway. "You been sick again?"

"No," Danny sighed as the plane turned. "Stomach muscles are too tired to keep going through that," he answered honestly. He wanted nothing more than to make sure every last part of Reyes that went into him or landed on him was gone. He felt like ripping his stomach open to check and to somehow scrub there, too, but his body was too weary to let him. 

Steve turned himself to face Danny more, not caring about the uncomfortable pressure on his body as the plane began to take off. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put you in that kind of danger. We should have found a way to monitor you better inside that club."

"Don't do that, it's not your fault. I've been in worse situa-"

"Shut up, you have not," Steve admonished him. "I've read everything in your file and nowhere does it state that you were ever kidnapped and taken out of the country by a lunatic who happily trades people like he would a can of spam. Not until today. On my watch."

"You're doing it again," Danny warned "Don't blame yourself. No one can predict how Ops will go, we think on our feet. Right now I'm just happy you did and that you followed."

"Not fast enough."

Danny shook his head ruefully with a forced laugh. "You don't know that. How could you know that?"

Steve looked Danny over pointedly. "I have eyes." 

Danny patted down his t-shirt and adjusted how he was sitting. Despite how much he'd tried to wash, there was still the air of what was done hovering around him and considering how he'd been found, he knew Steve could still see it. 

"You don't have to tell me what happened."

"Didn't plan on it."

"But you can."

"Steve," Danny turned himself on the seat, bringing a leg up under his body. "As far as I'm concerned, what happened while you weren't monitoring, was just the same act. Just me, undercover, doing my job, getting the information we needed and then waiting for the opportunity to get out. Which still would have presented itself even if it hadn't been you barging in. It was just another day at the office. I'm not going to break, I'm not going to fall apart, I don't need people walking on eggshells."

They stared at each other for a moment, then Steve nodded imperceptibly. "Okay," he said and Danny just knew it was placating. Steve didn't believe him, but Danny wasn't in the mood to fight or to try and prove anything. He just wanted to get home, take a shower, check in with Grace, get some sleep, fill in reports and go back to working regular Five-0 cases.

"Good," he said, straightening out again and leaning his head back, closing his eyes. 

The feel of his hand being enveloped in a warm hold brought his attention back to the man beside him. "Just do me a favor, and don't ever again talk about how you've done this before. You haven't," Steve said, eyes boring into Danny's. "Not like this. Not this far."

Danny didn't even answer. Just turned his head to look out the window, squeezing Steve's hand and pulling it in closer to his body.


	13. Chapter 13

They were greeted by the sight of two HPD cruisers when they got off the plane. Duke Lukela was leaning back against the bonnet of the lead car. "Commander," he greeted Steve. "I'm sure you know what you're doing, and what you've done but there are some very unhappy people on this Island."

"Let me guess," Steve stopped the little group; both him and Chin still sticking close to Danny. "The Governor sent you to meet me."

"You stole his plane. Even for you, that's bold."

"And I used to think the shark cage was his finest hour," Danny put in. 

Steve turned to Danny, eyes squinting in the sunlight of the early morning. "Are you ever going to let that one go?"

"I don't think so," he shook his head. "That was all before I came along, of course. Here, I thought I'd civilized you, turns out, not so much." 

"Exactly. It's from before we met so how do you even know it's true and not grossly exaggerated?"

"Reliable witness testimony," Danny pointed at Chin and Steve gave the man a look like he was a traitor. "Then there was a story about a roof and some perp dangling off it…"

"He wants to see you in his office," Duke interrupted them, referring to the Governor. 

"Not right now, I need to get Danny checked over at the hospital and then get him home."

"Whoa, wait, hold up. Hospital? We said no in Colombia so that I could get home. That still stands. I want to go home. I'm perfectly fine, anyway. Nothing that some water and advil won't fix."

Steve looked exasperated as he put his hands on his hips, but he seemed reluctant to say what he needed to. "Danny, you need to go before- look, you need to get tested."

"For what? Some kind of tropical South American disease?"

"No, for-" he said loudly then cut himself off and lowered his voice. "For all sorts of things. And they need to do a rape kit on you. They'll want it for evidence in the trials of Olivia Victor and the guys we rounded up at the club."

Danny just let out a low laugh, though the smile that accompanied it never quite reached his eyes. "Well, they can do all the rape kits they want, but they won't find anything. He didn't rape me. There's no blood stains on my underwear. Hell, he didn't give me so much as a paper cut!"

"There's bruising all around your neck!" Steve shouted back in response to Danny's steadily rising voice, both no longer worrying about the small audience around them. "Marks on your arms from restraints."

"Because being restrained always leads to rape!" Danny reared back. "Which makes everyone here experts considering how many people they've ever put cuffs on!"

"Look," Steve took a breath, hand out in a calming gesture. "Even if he didn't… 'penetrate', he still abused you and you can't deny that. They'll need photos. We need to do it while everything's still visible."

"Fresh, you mean," Danny remarked. 

"Yes," Steve sighed. "Look, I know you want to go home, but it's procedure and the sooner it's done the sooner it can get put behind us."

"Fine," Danny started. "Fine, I'll go document everything but I'll do it with Chin. You need to go grovel in front of the Governor."

"I stole that plane to come get you and make sure you were safe. I'm not done with that yet."

"Yes, you are," Danny put a hand out to Steve's arm. "I'm right here, you did a good job. Now, please, go face the music. Find out if he's fired you."

"He won't fire me," Steve scoffed. "Who else would he get to do this job?"

Danny spread his arms, but neglected to say 'I'm standing right here', hoping his eyes conveyed it. Steve answered with a look of his own - an eye roll and a 'yeah yeah', before they continued. 

"I won't be long. I'll meet you at the hospital. Chin can text and let me know how it's going."

Danny knew it was the best deal he was going to get, so he wisely stayed quiet and watched as Steve went away with Duke in his cruiser, leaving Pua standing by the other one, as Kono's red Cruze screeched onto the tarmac.

She threw herself out of the car and bounded over to them, grabbing Danny into a hug before he could say anything. "Thank God, you're okay," she started, talking into Danny's shoulder. "I wanted to come but someone had to stay here in case some of the guys we rounded up had information we needed."

"Hey, I get it," Danny pulled back, hands on each of Kono's arms to hold her in place. "Thank you. Staying behind is tough, I was never any good at it." He smiled as they headed to her car. "So you get anything from them?"

"Nothing much. Olivia Victor was a tough nut to crack; took me hours. Eventually she gave up a little more about Reyes since she figured he was going down anyway, but other names weren't forthcoming. We did manage to stop a ship leaving. They were bound for Japan. Asked about you, actually, they knew you were being taken away, too."

"How many?"

"Three. Uh…. Naomi, Lisa and Jackson, I think."

"There should have been four. We were all in the room together, there was also Francesca, what about her?" Danny sat forward from his seat in the back of the car, poking his head between the front seats as Kono started the car.

"Sorry, Danny. We've not heard anything."

He sat back, disappointed, annoyed, worried. Cesca was only about eighteen years old, had started doing the job to put herself through college. Reyes had really not cared about who he sold so long as he got money. At least Delano had been careful not to take people who could be missed, who had lives outside of the work they did. _**'At least'**_. It was terrible to think of things that way. Even in his own head it was sounding like he was putting more care onto the American kids rather than the illegals but that wasn't true. He didn't wish the kind of treatment he'd experienced first hand on anyone. And he was well aware that people had it worse than him. He just marveled at how brazen Reyes had been to take these kids and how skilled he and his crew were to have covered it up so well. 

The only reason Reyes was dead was because of Danny. If Danny hadn't been taken to Colombia, Reyes would still be alive, still running his operation, still taking these kids and streetwalkers and treating them like garbage. He did feel proud of himself for helping put a stop to it, no matter what had happened along the way. He took solace in the good that was done, who he might have saved.

They pulled into the hospital before Danny even realized it. Chin had apparently called ahead while Danny had been tiredly stuck in his own head in the back seat, and they were greeted by two nurses on arrival who led him to a private room. 

They were clinical, but they knew what they were doing, what was going on, who Danny was. They didn't always look him directly in the eye and when they did, he could see that look of sympathy that he had seen on everyone's faces so far and had become sick of seeing. He had that feeling inside that everyone knew something he'd prefer to sweep under the carpet. It felt like a weight around his neck, pulling him down when he just wanted to look up.

He'd changed into a hospital gown, but that had to be moved aside at various times for them to give him a good once over. He'd never felt embarrassed in a hospital before, and he'd been through similar checks after other cases, even just after getting hurt taking criminals down in Five-0 and getting banged up. 

This time he didn't like it. The doctor who had joined them brought up the fact that they should do a rape kit and Danny had held his hands up and refused. He hadn't been touched there so they didn't have to. The doctor had looked at him and barely believed him. Danny _was_ lying, somewhat. Reyes had touched him there, but it hadn't… it didn't… there was nothing there that would add to his testimony or that any court needed to know about. He did agree to the tests for STIs, but the doctor had insisted on that one, and Danny hadn't even considered it before. His mind had shut out those types of possibilities and despite not really wanting to know any answer to the question, he knew he had to.

After the doctor seemed happy that they'd documented everything, Danny made to sit up but was stopped with a hand on his chest. "Detective, please lie still," the doctor smiled at him. 

"I thought we were done."

The doc moved to the side where he picked up a bag with clear liquid in it that one of the nurses had left behind for him. He brought it over and hung it above the bed, attaching bits to it while he answered Danny. "You need fluids. You've been vomiting, several times, and you've mentioned only being given alcohol while in your captivity. You're dehydrated, so before you are discharged, I want to get all of this into you," he poked the bag and smiled at Danny again. 

"Drinking it might be easier, and faster, than sticking that needle in me," Danny argued as the doctor readied it, swabbing the back of Danny's hand.

"This has electrolytes and various essentials that water alone won't provide and I doubt it tastes very good. Lieutenant Kelly informs us that you vomited while drinking before. In order to prevent that, this really is the best method. It won't take long, maybe an hour or so and then you'll be able to go home and get some rest. I'll also prescribe you some anti-nausea medication to get your stomach settled."

An hour didn't sound so bad. And Danny knew that you could speed these things up. He'd had it once before, though it had been uncomfortable as his arm had gone cold and numb as the fluid had sped into him, but he knew it was possible and that was the main thing. He really just wanted to go home, shut himself away for a while and get some rest where he knew things were okay. He wasn't scared of retribution, it was just that he liked the familiar in order to keep himself on an even keel and he'd always been that way. It was one of the reasons he'd hated moving to Hawaii in the first place - because it was so different from New Jersey and Danny wasn't a fan of change.

He sat back, letting his mind drift. He kept checking the clock that was mounted on the wall, watching the second hand ticking around. He contemplated what he might say to Rachel about what happened. Hell, he didn't even know if Steve had called to let her know anything or if he'd done what he should have, and stayed quiet so as not to worry her or Grace.The more he could play this down to them, the better. Besides, Grace wouldn't be back in Hawaii for another two weeks, and by then, any bruising or marks on his body should have faded away.

Before he knew it, over an hour had gone by with him counting ceiling tiles, watching his IV bag slowly get emptier and hearing murmured sounds of talking outside the room and the clomping of footsteps going by constantly. The bag wasn't empty yet, it still had about a quarter of it left to go which means he was stuck here a little longer. 

Voices outside got louder and Danny pushed himself into a better seating position as the door opened and Steve strode through, his face softening in relief as he saw Danny again, like he was worried he'd hallucinated the rescue and seeing Danny put that to rest.

"What did he say?" Danny asked.

"Well, the Five-0 budget just took a massive hit since we have to pay for all the fuel and the fees for the plane. Also, if I ever do anything like it again I won't be able to get a job picking up trash on the beach."

"So… it went better than expected," Danny hedged.

"Probably," Steve nodded and came closer, fingers curling around Danny's hand but being careful of the needle there. "You doing okay? Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Doc ordered me to take this stuff," he gestured to the bag. "Then I'm clear to go home."

"I spoke to him outside. I got your prescriptions and Kono said she'd fill them and take them to the house. Chin is following up to see if that other girl you said is missing can be traced."

"I need to take a look at the files, see who you arrested, who I might recognize was meeting with Reyes before he took me, that kind of thing."

"It can wait. First, we get you home and rested."

"I feel fine, just a little tired maybe and I slept on the plane as it is. I can take a look at them at home, just get Chin to drop them off."

"You look like shit. I'm taking you home and you're going to eat something easy on your stomach and then go to bed. I'll make it an order if I have to."

Danny took a good, long look at Steve's face then narrowed his eyes. "Yes, sir," he mumbled, aware that Steve would take his words in many different ways, including the sexual kind that he liked. But Danny was doing it deliberately and sarcastically just the same. He wasn't military. There were times he hated when Steve gave orders, even if he was the boss. It was a complication in their relationship they frequently glossed over.

"I mean it, Danny," Steve said sternly. "I don't want you near any of this again until I know you're doing better."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Danny asked between gritted teeth and his reaction spoke volumes to Steve.

"You know exactly what I mean," he said, hard but soft at the same time and Danny looked away and wiped a hand over his face.

"If you're waiting for me to fall apart, then you can stop right now. It's not going to happen."

"Danny. What he did to you-"

"You have no idea!" Danny shouted, snarling through it. "So just shut up!" 

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and ripped the IV from his arm. He'd had enough, he was _fine_. He stood and gripped the back of his gown tightly as he looked around himself, his spare hand fisting up then releasing over and over, making sure any shakes weren't visible. _Weren't happening._

"Okay. Where are my clothes? I need my clothes."

"They took everything away as evidence. Along with what you were wearing in Columbia," Steve answered quietly, voice low and calm.

"Then what the fuck am I supposed to do now?" Danny asked, eyes still skimming the room, annoyed.

"We'll get some scrubs from the doctor, I'm sure they'll be happy to lend us some, just sit tight," Steve tried to keep his voice steady. He leaned outside and murmured to someone close by, then closed the door as he came fully back into the room, keeping his eyes on Danny the whole time as he rocked from foot to foot, one hand still holding the back of his gown shut.

"I'm sorry, but you need to understand," Danny said, a slight shake to his voice. "Going home helps. It's… it just helps."

"I get that."

"No, you don't. Not unless you've done cover work like this. And even then, people work differently have different… mechanisms."

"Then explain it to me," Steve said, edging closer, arms out and non-threatening like Danny was a wild animal needing to be calmed.

"It uh…" Danny started, unsure how to say it all. "I've seen guys who come out and they hide themselves away, take a few days to just get their heads back on straight and feel confident that they can face their families as themselves but for me, I've always needed to see them to get me back to normal. I need the routine, I need the regular life back to know that I'm me, and not whoever I was on assignment. But that includes going about work like I normally would too."

"I get it, I do," Steve said, close enough now to place his hands on Danny's hips. "But it's different when you're being released from a hospital. If this had been a regular case I'd want the same thing, okay? To get you home, fed and into bed."

"I wasn't shot. I wasn't injured, there's no blood. It's not the same. I was brought in here as a precaution which means I'm fine."

"Danno," Steve started with a hitch at the back of his throat and seeing that look in his eyes, the sympathy for the situation made Danny pull back and away from him, a flicker of anger inside him again. He hated that look. He hated people looking at him like he was damaged, but from Steve it was worse.

"Just get me something to wear and take me home," he asked, voice resigned, tired and it spurred Steve on to do as was asked of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise if my medical know-how is off. I have zero training and rely heavily on the NHS website :) Or some vague personal experience from being a patient. The same goes for how the characters react to this psychologically as I explore further. There's reaction, delayed reaction, stages of whatever to work through and just plain confusion and crossed wires. But then, I also never said I was done hurting them. Physically or psychologically. So there's that.... (you may hate chapter 18. fyi in advance)


	14. Chapter 14

When they walked in the door, Danny immediately headed for the stairs. 

"Where are you going? You need to eat," Steve said as he watched from below as Danny padded up the steps, surgical booties - that he'd had to use since his shoes had been taken away as well - were left behind at the bottom. He was quite a sight in scrubs and a gift shop t-shirt. Luckily his cobbled together garb was only necessary for the trip home and barely anyone saw him in it. 

"Shower," Danny answered. He'd started thinking about it in the car and felt desperate for it now, but as much as he wanted to race up the stairs and throw himself in, he didn't want Steve to think anything much of it. 

"Okay, well, I'll make you some toast and bring it up."

"Fine," Danny waved off and sped up once he was out of sight. He pulled the t-shirt off and shucked the scrub pants as he started the water. He didn't even wait for the heat from it, instead he just jumped right on in, letting the jets pummel his back as he stood under the spray, arms braced on the wall and eyes screwed shut against the trail of water making its way from his hair and onto his face. 

He'd had a smell stuck in his nostrils since Colombia and he couldn't get rid of it. He'd been able to cover it with the lavender hand soap on the plane but it had worn off. Worse, he'd got kind of used to it but every so often a strong whiff of it would hit him again and it would make his stomach turn. He needed to wash properly and he'd been denied the opportunity for too long. He'd avoided thinking about it, knowing it would drive him insane and make him fidget but the closer he got to home the more it had come to the forefront of his mind and he needed this. 

But he just stood there, water hitting his back and sloshing at his feet and he was unmoving, just blinking against the stream and watching the water go down the drain. 

That was when it happened. The first sob erupted from inside and he pressed his forehead to the cool tile in front of him and let out another one, let his eyes fill with tears, bit his bottom lip but then took a shaky breath in through his mouth and clutched a hand to his chest as he cried. 

The palm of his other hand slapped against the wall twice as he sniffed and wheezed. "Come on. Come on!" he growled to himself. "Pull yourself together."

He stood straight, ran hands through his wet hair as he stepped back, head leaving the direct spray and suddenly the world wasn't so pressed in close to him, loud and echoing in his head. 

"Danny?" Steve's voice broke his thoughts. "You've been in there a while. Danny, do you hear me?"

"Yeah," Danny cleared his throat as he answered. "I'm good."

The door rattled and Steve came inside. Danny didn't remember whether he'd locked it or not, but this was Steve and if he wanted to, he'd find a way in, whether it meant some trick to the door or splintering it.

He didn't come too close, but Danny could see his shape through the frosted glass and saw him batting at the steam in the air. "I've been out there for ages, didn't you hear me?"

"Sorry, I didn't hear over the water."

"It's been ten minutes, I think you've washed enough."

He really hadn't though. It was nowhere near enough to get the stink off him. It had sunk under his skin, into his pores, into the fiber of his being and he couldn't get it out, not with soap or heat or the pounding of the shower head. 

"Standing there isn't helping anything," Steve said again when Danny didn't make any move, and he pushed the door open, reaching a hand in to turn the water off. He didn't look further, he didn't push, he just took his hand away, grabbed a towel and thrust it through the space for Danny to take. 

He rubbed it over his hair and down his body before tying it around his waist, aware of Steve still standing in the room close by. He pushed the door open and stepped out to the sight of Steve there with his arms crossed.

He threaded his fingers through his wet hair, flattening it, teasing the strands into place. He rolled his shoulders back and turned to look at himself in the mirror. He wrinkled his nose at the sight. The water had begun to prune him, he had red patches from the high heat and everything had accented the bruising he already had around his neck and arms. His eyes were puffy, there was no escaping that even if the water had washed away the tears. 

He cleared his throat and turned back to Steve. "You mentioned food?"

"There's toast and juice on the dresser," he indicated with his head and Danny moved past him to head into the room. 

He sat on the edge of the bed and forced the food down. The taste was mostly irrelevant except for disguising anything else he'd had in his mouth recently and he was only really doing it to stop Steve from worrying any further than he had already. He knew Steve was aware of what he was doing in the shower… whether it was his need to be clean of what happened or his… _**slight**_ breakdown. Which was new. He'd never done that before. He'd never given in to anything like that. Cleaning usually worked, a little detox and he was fine after a couple of days. Maybe that was all he needed? Just a little more time to get things right in his head.

Steve sat next to him, the bed dipping with the movement and he rubbed his hands on his thighs as he turned to Danny. "What can I do to help?"

Danny put his plate aside and shook his head on a sigh. "I don't know." Steve reached out for him but aborted the movement and Danny rolled his eyes. "But how about you start by being normal around me."

"I didn't mean-" Steve started, then let his actions talk instead and placed his palm on Danny's back, right at the top of his spine and rubbed up and down, into circular motions, being careful of the bruising that he could see.

Danny leaned into him, his head going to rest on Steve's shoulder and he felt the kiss pressed into his wet hair in return. He rubbed his cheek on Steve's shoulder as he turned further into his neck, breathing deep, recognizing the familiar scent and finding comfort in it. He burrowed closer, his hand pressing into Steve's thigh as he began to turn his body inward. He felt Steve's arm go around him and couldn't help his response. 

He climbed on top of Steve, the towel around his waist loosening as his thighs spread over Steve's. He sought Steve's mouth out blindly, nosing along his cheek until he reached it and carefully, lightly, tenderly kissing Steve. He may have been touched by other people recently, but something like this was uniquely them and reminded Danny how different it was. 

He wrapped his arms around Steve's shoulders and hummed into the kisses. Steve's hands trailed over his back, round the line of the towel, accidentally brushing it further down and then to Danny's hips where they took hold. 

"Danny," he asked between breaths. "Wait a second."

"What? What is it?" Danny asked, pressing his forehead to Steve's.

"This isn't a good idea. You just-"

"I told you I need normal, right? What's more normal than this?" He kissed Steve again only to then feel Steve's hands move to the front of his shoulders and push him back. 

"It's a bad idea," Steve said earnestly. 

"It's a very good idea," Danny spelled out slowly. "Since when did you not want to-" he stopped himself. A realization dawning on him and he tried not to let it show on his face but going by Steve's reaction, he could see it. He knew what Danny was thinking as he blushed, embarrassed and a little angry at himself. Why would Steve want to have sex with him now? After everything he'd done. That he'd been with someone else. It was just like Danny suspected - the beginning of the end. Right now he was just lucky Steve still wanted to be around him. Even if it meant-

"Don't you dare, Danny," Steve's hands moved to clutch Danny's head - one at his cheek, the other behind his neck. "Don't think like that."

"How would you know what I'm thinking?" Danny asked, deflecting.

"You mean, that I don't want you because of what he did? I'm right, aren't I? That's a load of bullshit and it's not what's going on here."

Danny didn't make eye contact, just looked over Steve's head which told him everything. "Then what is going on?"

Steve's hand at the back of Danny's head clutched into the strands of hair there and lightly shook. "I don't want what's going on in this head of yours to get bad when we're together. That's all."

Danny sighed, wanting to believe Steve but the niggle in his mind was still there that maybe Steve didn't actually want to have sex with him because of Reyes. Because of the case. Because Danny had, essentially, cheated on him. 

Steve took hold of Danny's hand and brought it to the front of his trousers to let him feel what was going on down there but he let go, allowing Danny to choose if he kept it there or not. "Getting hard because of you is never a problem," he tried to smile, getting Danny's attention. "Especially when you've just come out the shower and you're _barely_ wearing a towel and you're right here in front of me. You could be wearing your biggest and most comfortable winter clothes and I'd still find you incredibly sexy."

Danny rubbed his hand over the material of Steve's pants, digging the heel of his palm in, making the other man's breath hitch. "Then how about just letting me help you take care of this."

Steve let Danny continue, but coaxed him with his words to maybe hold back. "And what if I say or do something while we're having sex that makes you, I don't know… flashback. Or compare me with him?"

Danny sat back and looked at Steve, taking a breath. He could see the concern and the worry in his eyes. The self-doubt. "So you're worried about me thinking of him when I'm with you? Not in a good way," Danny hurried to point out. "Because, just no," he said, emphatically. "But that-"

"Yeah," Steve nodded, not needing Danny to say it. "He's still in your head, Danny. And I don't want him there when we're together."

"Maybe us being together is what we need to get rid of him."

"Maybe," Steve said, agreeing. "But if we give it a few days, just to make sure." He looked Danny dead in the eyes, "I _**definitely**_ want you, baby. Don't second guess that." He dug his hand under the towel at Danny's waist and pulled it back; the material easily falling apart with the touch, exposing Danny's half-hard cock to the cool air. Steve looked down, with a rueful shake of his head. "And turning all this down right now is killing me," he moaned theatrically.

Danny laughed; Steve's pout bringing some light to their conversation. He placed his hands on Steve's shoulders, rubbing lightly back and forth as he leaned in for a sweet touch of lips. As they pulled apart, Steve frowned and tilted his head and then pressed gingerly with his fingers to Danny's neck. 

"I know they put ointment on these at the hospital but after your shower it's probably all washed off. We should put more on."

"Okay," Danny cleared his throat as he climbed back off Steve and sat on the end of the bed. Steve disappeared for a moment and Danny gathered the material of the towel back around himself as he stood and went to a drawer to grab a pair of sleep pants, pulling them on and discarding the towel on the floor. He sat back down again as Steve reemerged. 

"This should do the trick," Steve waved the tube as he came over and got to his knees, pushing Danny's legs apart so he could slip between them. He scuttled forward to get closer, his eyes at Danny's chest level and he moved Danny's head to the side so he had a clear view. He warmed the ointment in his hand first then reached out to touch it to the bruising on Danny's neck. It wasn't cold and it didn't hurt but for some reason Danny flinched anyway and Steve took his time to be careful as he applied it all. When he was done, he leaned in and placed his lips to Danny's heart and stayed still for a long moment before pulling back from the kiss and pressing his cheek there instead. 

Danny wrapped his arms around him and leaned his head down to the top of Steve's. "I love you."

"I love you, too."


	15. Chapter 15

Danny struggled to get much sleep after Steve had left the room. Or he thought he had. He felt like he'd been lying there for a short while and only dozing but when he sat up and looked at the clock it had been over six hours.

He pushed the covers aside and pulled on a t-shirt before heading downstairs. "Steve?" he called out and got no response. He ducked his head into the garage and spotted Steve hard at work on the marquis and decide to leave him be.

He went back inside, headed to the kitchen and grabbed a beer before going to the study. He opened up the laptop and logged in using Steve's password (he shouldn't have, but he knew that Chin and Kono wouldn't be forwarding case information to him so needs must) and logged into his email account.

He pulled up various files and sat down, rolling the chair underneath him as his eyes stayed glued to the screen, checking various mug shots, surveillance photos, arrest dockets and more and he frowned as he looked through everything for the morning when things had gone down.

It didn't make much sense to him.

Steve wandered past the study, grease on his hands and a rag wiping over them as he caught Danny out of the corner of his eye and doubled back. "You're up," he said, keeping things bright.

"Yeah, couldn't sleep any longer. Have you been through all of this?" He looked up from the screen.

Steve frowned then hurried closer, coming around the desk and then throwing his head back. "Danny!"

"I know, I know, just shut up," Danny put his hand out to shush Steve from telling him yet again what he should and shouldn't be doing. "This stuff, it isn't correct."

"What do you mean?" Steve leaned over.

"Well, it's correct. Sort of. But it's not _**complete**_ and this is just all regular pimp den stuff. You arrested hookers and some johns and the other staff, but what about everyone else?"

"Everyone else important fled to Colombia."

"Except they didn't. Did you- Wait, you were _surveilling_ the place! You didn't catch sight of all the guys exiting in expensive suits?"

Steve gaped at Danny, no excuse on his tongue as Danny began clicking on different files and talking through it all. 

"So you got a report from that CI of Fryer's about shots fired. Going by the time on the report and factoring in how long it took for them all to leave…" he searched through the time stamps on the surveillance footage outside the Golden Palace and brought up roughly the right time.

Only two things happened around then. One was a regular john coming into the building and the other was a white panel van leaving. He frowned at the screen and looked closer at it. Only a driver could be seen and it looked like any normal delivery van. He searched back through the footage to see it arrive as well, an hour or so earlier and there was no footage of any of those guys arriving or leaving… "Which means they were all smuggled in using this van," he finished out loud. 

"Wait, no one said anything about some big meeting," Steve said. "The gunshot was reported, we know who was killed, we have the body, but there was nothing to suggest anything bigger had happened or a bunch of other people were there from outside the club. Olivia Victor kept quiet about it, as did anyone else that we arrested."

"Because, Olivia aside, no one else in the club was privy to it. Those of us who were, were then taken out and away. Reyes was always careful and if it hadn't been for that CI, I'd probably still be in Colombia," he shuddered, considering the nick-of-time arrival of Steve in the first place. Who knows what else Reyes had planned for Danny once they'd got to his home. He turned in his chair to look up at Steve. "You knew I was going in for something important to Reyes, you didn't think to check into the people arriving or leaving?"

Steve wiped a hand over his face. "We didn't have intel for that. Besides, I thought… I figured it was just Reyes wanting you for himself. He tied up his loose end with that money launderer and then grabbed you and left."

"And the kids in there with me? The ones Kono told me you caught up to?"

"We figured they were part of a regular deal. HPD did their debrief and all we got was that they were being sold off after witnessing a murder. You know how witnesses are. They're upset, they don't exactly give us exact information."

Danny hung his head and shook it. He could understand where Steve was coming from. The man hadn't worked Vice before, he didn't know the signs and when things got personal for him on cases, some of his logic went out the window. _**That**_ , he understood and he couldn't blame Steve for. Fryer though. Fryer should have known better. "We're missing a lot of guys," Danny started. "There were maybe ten in the room, then about six or so of Reyes' men coming in and out. The latter we pretty much caught all of in Colombia, I think, but we need to get the details from their police to verify."

"Chin said we were to expect that tomorrow. But you were in there. You have names and faces so we can get the guys to start running them in the system."

"No, we can't. They were all very careful, we didn't exchange names. Sure, I can sit with a sketch artist but that's not ideal, my memory isn't exactly perfect of that meeting. Wait-" Danny put his hand up. "There was someone. Reyes introduced us properly, he gave me the name. It sounded French, but he had a British accent."

He trawled his brain, worked through the alphabet to try and sound it out.

"Arnaud… no... Monr- Moreau. Johnny Moreau. If we can grab him, maybe we can convince him to give up the names of the others."

*

Danny was surprised that he hadn't had to convince Steve to let him go along with him. He'd dressed quickly into a shirt and pants that were more his regular style - which helped him feel more like himself - and they'd driven to HQ.

It was late afternoon, but Chin and Kono would still be there. 

As they walked in, the two cousins greeted Danny with a smile. "Hey, brah," Chin said with a crinkle of his eyes and he reached his hand out for them to shake in a loose style before Kono hugged him again. 

"Good to see you up and about."

"I wasn't injured, just needed to get over the jet lag or lack of sleep or whatever," Danny waved off. "Were you able to get anything on Moreau?"

Yeah," Chin turned to the computer table and slid his hand across it, bringing the information up on the big screens. "Import/Export. Was a rival of Wo Fat's before we arrested him, now he seems to have taken some of that patch. HPD have never been able to make a solid case - leads don't pan out, raids never found anything incriminating enough. They thought he might be getting help to avoid the cops, seems we may have found the people helping him."

"Reyes and Olivia Victor," Danny put in for all of them.

"Which likely means Moreau is an exit and entry point for Reyes' deals. The illegals coming in and the kids being sold to go out of the country," Steve crossed his arms. 

"I agree. The ship you stopped. Was it one of Moreau's?"

"No," Kono shook her head. "Which means Moreau isn't Reyes' only source."

"It makes sense," Chin nodded. "Changing things up can help evade the police."

"It also means Moreau may not see us coming. We don't know how quickly the news of Reyes' death will have traveled through his network so if we want to find these people we need to move fast," Danny said. 

"What are you thinking?" Steve asked, narrowing his eyes.

"He knows me, he met me at the meeting. I can go back under and-"

"No!" Steve interrupted emphatically and was joined in a chorus of agreement from the others.

Danny held his hands up. "It was just a suggestion. I might have been able to coax information out of him about the others, or get my hands on his books and find out where people have been taken. He's got to have them hidden somewhere on the property and he'll definitely have kept a record of who went where. Reyes would have wanted it if nothing else and it could really help us out with finishing this case."

"We can do all that without you whoring yourself out again," Steve said, voice gravelly, disinterested in the idea and sounding pretty disgusted by it. "We'll execute our usual style of raid."

"They'll have guns."

"And if Moreau or his men get killed during it, we won't exactly be mourning the loss," Steve answered Danny. Chin and Kono were clearly still agreeing with him, despite the better opportunity of taking them alive being using Danny as his undercover identity again.

"Brah, he knows Reyes took you to Colombia. Don't you think he'd be suspicious of you walking back on in there on your own?" Chin asked him.

Danny sighed and put his hands on his hips. "You do have a point," he conceded, though he was willing to bet he could bullshit somehow about that.

"Kono, call Fryer and bring him into the loop, Chin, get Captain Grover and SWAT backing us up on this one. We can't afford to let anyone slip through our fingers," Steve started with his orders and the team began to fan out to do their bits. 

Before Danny could wander off, Steve beckoned him closer again. "Yeah?" he asked, wary that Steve might be about to tell him he wasn't going and he was already mentally preparing his arguments.

"You okay to do this?" Steve asked and Danny took a second, surprised to be asked in a downplayed way. 

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" he asked back, with false bravado sneaking in.

Steve's eyebrows rose as he shuffled on his feet. "We just got you back from the people who kidnapped you, which includes the men we're going after now. You were… molested," he chose the word carefully, not using any other kind that Danny would refute point blank. "There's really no point in my asking if your head is screwed on straight because we're both well aware that it isn't. So tell me, why do I let you come with us?"

Danny's hand rested on the butt of his gun and the knuckles of the other grazed over the computer surface. "Because I want to finish this. I _need_ to finish what we started and I'm not going to let you go in there without me backing you up. You're not stupid, Steven, despite the many times I've alluded that you are and I know what these guys are like. I've seen it many times before. Out of the four of us on this team, I'm the one with the experience and know-how and intel to nail these fuckers to the wall and we will not risk losing them because I've thrown up a few times lately. Okay?"

There was a moment's pause, then Steve made up his mind. "Okay. Let's go get the bastards."


	16. Chapter 16

Kono returned to their hiding spot behind some old cars near the warehouse, thermal camera in hand. "There's not many of them. Only three are being picked up, hopefully one of them is Moreau."

"Where the hell is SWAT?" Steve asked, checking his watch. 

"Armed robbery downtown," Chin reminded him. "Those can take a while."

"I hate to be the one to say it," Danny put in. "But we don't have time to wait. There should be more men but if rumors are spreading about Reyes' death then they could all be going into hiding. We can't miss this opportunity."

"Three of them and four of us. We've had worse odds," Kono said as they looked around at each other. With SWAT too busy to back them up yet and Fryer leading his task force at another potential site of trafficking activity, they only had each other to rely on.

Steve took lead as he watched them, all crouched low next to each other, vests on, strapped to the hilt, guns at the ready. "Before we do this, I'd just like to take a moment and appreciate that it's Danny who doesn't want to wait for back up."

Chin and Kono smiled at the attempted humor, the tension in their bodies releasing minutely. Danny reached out to Steve's elbow and touched it briefly with the back of his hand. "You want to wait?" he asked, incredulous. 

"Hell no," Steve almost snorted. "I'm just saying it's your idea. You said it first. Next time, I get a free pass."

"I've already given you about a hundred free passes."

"They're not free if I have to listen to you bitch about it for the rest of my life."

"Ladies," Chin interrupted them, though it was clear by his face that he was glad to see them acting like normal. "Are we doing this today?"

"Or will we do it next month in that space in your diary between bickering and nagging," Kono continued and the two high-fived as Steve and Danny stared blankly between themselves.

Steve took a breath, let go of the furrows in his forehead and began directing them once again. 

They broke cover but stayed low. Chin and Kono headed to cover the rear while Steve and Danny stuck to the large front doors that were big enough to get vehicles into the building. 

"How do you want to do this?" Danny asked, gun at the ready, the extended stock resting against his shoulder. 

Steve knocked the muzzle of his MP7 against the metal doors and called out. "Moreau, this is Commander McGarrett of Five-0."

Before he could continue, the doors began to open, sliding back with a screech of metal and gears and Steve and Danny exchanged bemused looks at the turn of events. Danny ducked his head in to have a look and in the short moment he had, he noticed the men inside with their hands up. 

Both he and Steve glanced at each other again, then turned into the building, guns raised, the men in their sights as they stood in the middle of the room with their hands raised in surrender. 

It was too easy and both men knew it but what was going on, they didn't know.

"Good to see you again, Danny," Moreau smiled at him. "I knew there was something off about you but Marco wouldn't listen. He was too busy fantasizing about where he could shove his dick."

"Shut up, Moreau," Steve said, walking forward, feet firmly planted as they approached, looking around for danger.

"So you heard about Reyes' death then," Danny said as he got closer. There were only three of them and Chin and Kono had caught up from behind and were able to cover him while he began to get his cuffs ready, slinging his gun over his chest as he moved in towards Moreau.

"I figured you'd be after anyone you knew from inside the Palace," Moreau looked at Danny sideways. "I suspect everyone else is already in hiding, I doubt you'll catch them."

Danny stopped and he frowned at the cuffs in his hand and that Moreau was silently holding his hands behind his back and not fighting any of this. It was beyond not being normal. "Then why are you still here?" Danny pondered out loud. "And why give up without a fight?"

"Because I convinced him to be the bait for me," a voice came from the doors - a voice that sent chills down Danny's spine. He turned at the same time as the others and screwed his eyes up at the strength of the light coming in the large gap and the sight of so many men entering with guns pointed at them; fanning out to reduce the coverage the four members of Five-0 could achieve.

So much for their odds - now they were facing down thirty rather than three.

The ringleader stepped further in, a cigar between his fingers and a smug smile on his face. 

"It's a party now," he laughed and Danny's stomach rolled.


	17. Chapter 17

"I suggest you put down those weapons of yours. My men may not be crack shots but we've got plenty of bullets to go through until all of you are filled with little holes," he said, his voice confident.

The team all looked at each other carefully and Steve led by releasing his MP7, letting it bounce on his chest before reaching a hand up to take it over his head and drop it to the ground. He continued with the handgun on his thigh holster as the rest of the team followed suit, weapons clattering to the concrete as their captors ambled over, grabbing them and moving to take up positions around the floor.

"Of course," the man began. "Danny already knows the deal, don't you. Any hole's the goal."

Danny surged forward, intent on punching him in the face but a hand around his arm stopped him, pulling him back as one of the men that had been with Moreau turned the tables and grasped Danny's arms behind to hold them in place.

"I'd hoped you were dead," Danny spat in his direction. 

"If I'd been at the bar, I probably would be. Instead, I'm the boss now," he held his hands out in triumph.

"Who are you?" Kono asked, swiping her hand at one of the men who tried to hold her back, struggling to get cuffs on her to keep her from swinging her arms about.

"Call me Pedro, darling. That's my name."

"Pedro _**Reyes**_ ," Danny filled in for the rest of them. "Marco's cousin."

"This is what you might call a set up," Pedro said, enjoying the theatricality. "I did so hope you'd take the obvious route and come after our guys; try and round them all up. Johnny here told me you knew his name so we figured he'd be first on your list. And, even better, you decided to come on your own. Your egos must be very large to think just four people is all it takes to destroy an empire."

"Just watch us," Kono said, pushing again at her captor, defiance evident along with a naiveté of youth. 

"Careful, cuz," Chin warned her from the side. He looked calm, looked like he was playing along but he was poised and ready should there be an opportunity.

"These guys don't scare me," she warned them.

Pedro's eyes narrowed as he watched her, moving around the four of them, circling, enjoying seeing their captivity. "Maybe you should be, little girl. You don't know what I'm capable of."

"So what is this?" Danny asked, distracting him away from Kono, trying to protect her before she said something that got her hurt or killed. "Revenge for Marco's death? I didn't realize you cared, considering it's done you a favor."

"I loved him very much," Pedro answered, a hand on his heart and his bottom lip jutting out. "He built this business from the ground up and I will show my respect. I'm well aware of exactly _**who**_ killed him-" his eyes bored into Danny's.

"And you want me dead in retaliation but not before you make me suffer, yadda yadda… and you called us predictable," Danny rolled his eyes with his bravado and tried not to show just how terrified he actually was of what the man could do.

"How do you know?" Chin interrupted, keeping to the facts, working the case, and continuing the hop of attention around them all, keeping each other from getting hurt. "No one actually saw it happen," he pointed out. 

Danny had, of course. He'd been the only one down there with Reyes. It could have been Steve or Chin to kill him when they came down, though. The only way to know would be through offici- shit.

"Money talks," Pedro answered and Danny knew where it was going. "And police officers have a terrible salary."

"You bribed cops," Chin clarified. 

"They were already on the payroll," Pedro said off-handedly. "Unfortunately none of the ones we pay knew about your little raid. Or not in time to warn Marco. Still, you are right. Now I am the boss and that wouldn't have happened if not for you, so I think a thank you is in order. Wouldn't you say so, Danny?"

Danny turned his head away, knowing exactly what Pedro was referencing and the timbre of his chuckle grated through Danny's skull. 

He sauntered back over to Danny, circling him, attention fully on him again but his words were designed to reach everyone in the room. "Danny and I spent some quality time together on the way to Colombia. It was more fun when he was conscious but I did so enjoy all of it. And I'm very much looking forward to more." He extended a hand out, unhooked the top of Danny's vest and pulled at the velcro, making it fall from his body.

"Take your hands off him," Steve warned, voice adamant through grated teeth as he fought the hold of the two men who now had him pressed back against a wall to contain his struggles. He'd been strangely quiet for a while and Danny could see the anger in his eyes that was taking over any sensible or rational thought. Steve was fighting it, but losing. Badly. His fight could be dangerous but there was no way he could think of to calm Steve down - not with Pedro taunting them.

"Commander McGarrett," Pedro turned his attention to Steve. "You must be very proud of Danny's achievements as an undercover operative. Not many men would have the ability to fool my cousin. Or me. But when faced with such a skilled little whore-"

"Don't you say another word," Steve stopped him, uncaring that he had very little power against Pedro right now. He fought for freedom and winced as his back collided against the wall again and one of the men punched him, trying to knock him down a peg or two but it wasn't working. "I will kill you," Steve seethed.

"I'd like to see you try," Pedro challenged him. Which wasn't good. Not for any of them. Steve would accept the challenge and Pedro would ramp things up. 

And he did.

He took a lazy walk around Danny, a hand trailing over his chest as he handed his cigar off to the man who had been holding Danny and shooed him away so he could take over. He pressed in against Danny's back then yanked on Danny's hands to bring them lower and cuffed them with Danny's own cuffs from his back pocket. Danny winced as they tightened on him. 

Pedro stretched a hand around Danny's chest and began to pop the buttons of his shirt. He shoved his groin forward, contacting Danny's ass in a gross parody of sex and it struck against him so hard he would have stumbled forward if not for the strong hold on him.

"You see, what you don't know, _**Commander**_ ," he emphasized Steve's title in the most condescending voice that he could manage, "is that Danny, here, was our little cum dumpster. A very good one. And I'm taking him back. He belongs to me now."

"That's it!" Steve yelled and got himself free, head butting one of the men and kicking the other in the groin before shoulder barging him to make him fall. But he only got a few feet closer to Danny when two shots rang out, making all of Five-0 freeze and time slow down as they watched Steve fall to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry, not sorry.  
> The next chapter is the hard one. It may have some squick value, it has the worst of the non-con and extreme dub-con and the most violence. I do contain it into the one chapter so when 19 comes around we're onto the aftermath. Just bear in mind what Marco did to Danny and just assume I made it all a bit.... _more_.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Danger, Danger, Will Robinson. If you have triggers about non-consensual things, uh, copious amounts of bodily fluids or violence then please skim, skip or ask me for a breakdown if you want to be able to move onto the (mostly) aftermath that's in the next chapter.
> 
> I maintain this isn't as bad as the bugs, but that depends entirely on your squicks and triggers, I guess.
> 
> Also, maybe don't be drinking like... milkshakes, or something, while reading this bit... hmm.

"Steve," Danny breathed, the shock in the silent moment taking everything out of him as he heard similar cries from their other teammates. 

He broke free and darted the few steps to where Steve was sprawled on the ground, sliding to his knees beside him, but he couldn't do anything, couldn't touch him - not with his hands bound behind his back. 

But Steve was moving, he was alive. There was blood coming from an open wound on his left arm, above his elbow but below the line of his tattoo. It looked like a through and through but it was bleeding more than a graze would. The other shot had hit his vest and taken the wind out of him and Steve was breathing hard. His ribs would be aching and Danny hoped none of them were broken from the impact. 

"Steve," he said again, leaning over him, trying to make eye contact as Steve clutched his good hand to his arm, the blood trickling from between his fingers. 

"Go, run, Danny," he got out, but there was no time and Danny would have refused, not leaving without the rest of them.

The sound of a gun cocking beside them made Danny look up. 

Scar down the side of his face. Bad eye. South American. And he had his handgun trained on Steve.

Pedro came over - Danny could hear his footfalls behind - then his fingers tangled in Danny's hair and yanked him back up. He struggled to his feet, trying to find his balance as the pain bit into his skull. 

"You better do exactly what I tell you, or the next bullet goes in his brain."

Danny made eye contact with Steve, his own terrified eyes meeting the pained expression in Steve's. Pain from his injures, yes, but a pain that showed how sorry he was that he was putting Danny through this. Regret that his attempt to get them free had gone so wrong. Danny could see Steve blaming himself for everything.

"It's not your fault," he said steadily, knowing it would take more than saying it once to convince Steve.

"Danny," Steve choked out. Whether he was going to say he was sorry, or not to do it, to not let them use Steve as leverage, he didn't know. Steve never got it out and even if he had, both of them knew it would be pointless. Of course Danny was going to react to the gun being held on Steve. He would do as Pedro told him. He had no other option. As far as he could see, all the other outcomes had Steve dead, maybe Chin and Kono too, and he couldn't go down that path.

"It's not your fault," he repeated, hoping Steve would begin to see he meant it. He turned his eyes to Pedro. "What do you want?"

"What do I want? I want my party, Danny. That's all I ever wanted. I even brought you a present." He yanked at Danny, a hand still in the hair at the back of his head, the other holding tightly to his bound hands and he pushed and prodded Danny towards a dilapidated but private looking office. He shoved him inside, letting him fall and roll on the ground before he turned back to his gang. "Get rid of those two. But don't kill them, I might need them later on."

"What about McGarrett?" Scar guy asked. 

Pedro seemed to contemplate it as he stood in the threshold. He looked into the room at Danny again, who was warily trying to get his legs under him while watching Pedro closely. 

"Keep him here with us. Just in case Danny needs a reminder and a little persuasion."

A few moments later, Steve stumbled into the room with his vest now taken off. Scar shoved him to keep going as he tumbled into the wall and slunk down it, arm leaving a trail of blood on the peeling paintwork as he fell. Scar closed the door then took position near Steve, gun trained on him and he kept his focus, knowing Steve would be looking for an opportunity that was more favorable.

Pedro walked around the desk and clattered drawers open. He pulled out two bottles. The first was a large one of branded vodka, the second? A clear, 16 ounce, plastic bottle with the label ripped off, about two thirds full. It was obvious that the contents were not the original. Danny grimaced. It looked like a mixture of runny egg whites and vanilla milkshake and he felt a lump in his throat as he considered what it could be. What he knew it was. Because he knew Pedro. In the brief time he'd known the man, he knew exactly who he was and how sick and twisted.

He lifted the plastic bottle and tossed it between his hands. "It can take quite a while to fill one of these. I keep them in all of our establishments. And my men are welcome to contribute. But this one, this is all mine. I've been saving this. For a special occasion."

"Most people use champagne," Danny commented, trying to stay clear and focused and not on the bottle.

"I'm not most people," Pedro answered with a wink and a disgusting smile. He took a new cigar from his pocket and put it in his mouth, lighting it and all the while he kept his eyes on Danny's.

He came back around the desk and pulled Danny to his knees, getting him positioned how he wanted with a side view for Steve, who Danny could see out of the corner of his eye. He could see Steve's chest rising with heavy breathing, his dark figure huddled on the ground, his anger emanating from his core, fully aware that one wrong move would have him dead and Danny suffering worse consequences.

Pedro held the cigar between his teeth and opened the bottle, throwing the cap onto the desk then pouring an amount of the cum onto his fingers, rubbing it a little between them before running the wet hand down Danny's face from forehead, over his nose and lips and onto his chin like some freaky benediction.

He considered Danny with a sideways glance, then put the bottle down and reached for his shirt. "Let's see more of you," he said then grabbed the material and ripped it, letting the torn pieces fall down his arms to pool over the cuffs there.

He puffed his cigar again as he appreciated the view. 

"Stop," Steve said, voice gravelly but breathy. His injuries were definitely getting to him, Danny could tell by his voice. "Use me instead."

"Shut up, Steve," Danny warned him, turning his head a little in Steve's direction. 

Pedro took a few steps over to where Steve was slumped. "You really think a plea like that is worth something to me? Danny is the man who tricked and then murdered my cousin. You are nothing to me in comparison."

He came back over, cigar between his fingers and he contemplated his surroundings before eying Danny again. "Open up," he ordered. "Open your mouth," he clarified when Danny looked at him, dumbfounded. 

He expected Pedro to lift the bottle again, but instead, he tipped Danny's chin back and used his mouth as an ashtray for his cigar, tapping the spent leaves against Danny's tongue. As Pedro pulled away, Danny coughed - a natural reaction he couldn't seem to help and Pedro seemed non-plussed.

As Danny spat the little pieces out, Pedro's cum covered fingers were back, wiping his hands over Danny's neck and chest, then back up over his mouth and nose again. "Suck," he ordered, and Danny's mouth was invaded by four fingers that he cleaned off while still tasting the burned tobacco in his mouth. 

Pedro took a step back. "You know, my cousin and I had some things in common. We both enjoyed testing our whore's limits, seeing how far they would go. We'd share stories of what we'd make them do." He glanced between Danny and Steve, getting off on knowing that Steve was imagining all sorts of depraved things that had happened to Danny. "Of course, they'll do a hell of a lot when their family is threatened. They'll beg for more to keep ones they love safe. But maybe there is a breaking point, when they say 'no more'."

Danny widened his eyes in fear. He knew where this was going. Knew Pedro was escalating and knew Marco might have been the tip of the iceberg. And Pedro was right. Danny would do anything to keep the others safe. There was no such thing as 'no more'. He'd die for them. 

But the last thing he wanted was for Steve to know what was going on, let alone to witness it. Keeping things to himself had always helped and he didn't know how to deal with people knowing the intimate details of what he'd done, or was going to do.

"I don't know what Marco made you do after we parted ways but I can take some educated guesses." He knelt, getting to eye level with Danny, inspecting his face for reactions. "Made you suck him then pulled out to get it all over you? Hmmm, too normal. Made you snowball the cum with him?… Made you lick up his mess from somewhere… that's the one," he said in triumph, recognizing the look on Danny's face when he couldn't hide his disgust at his own actions. "Where? Tell me."

Danny glanced at Steve, feeling hot with shame as he saw the pity in Steve's wide eyes. "The ground."

Pedro laughed. "That was his favorite. I, however, have a different one I like. I think you'll be very good at it."

He lifted up from where he was kneeling, then stalled a moment, ordering Danny to lift his head back again and used his mouth as an ashtray once more before moving to the desk and placing the still smoking cigar on a proper ashtray and letting it quietly burn down as he picked up the bottle.

Danny took the brief opportunity to look at Steve again with worry. Not just for what he was going to be made to do, but because Steve was being made to watch and he didn't want that. His eyes pleaded with Steve to _**not**_ watch, to turn away, or to make a scene and be taken away but he wouldn't. Like he was punishing himself, Steve continued to watch in horror as Scar stood there with the muzzle of his gun pointed directly at Steve's head.

Pedro carefully tipped the bottle to make a line of the cum along the dusty floor in front of Danny. He then produced a pen from his pocket and pulled it apart, putting the extra pieces of it aside and just holding the hollow stem. 

"I'll do it instead. Come on, Pedro. Getting the head of Five-0 to snort? I'll go as far as you want me to, I'll do anything. Besides, it'll give you street cred." Steve blurted out.

"I don't care about helping my reputation with that. It's helped just fine with you bleeding over there. Danny's going to be a good whore and snort all this cum up for me."

"I can't. My hands," Danny tried, hoping to be freed and maybe cause a distraction.

"Very well," Pedro answered. Danny wasn't expecting the concession but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth and was willing to accept that Pedro was only doing it because he was cocky. Maybe rightly so. "Just remember the rules. One wrong move and McGarrett's brains spatter the walls."

"Yes, okay," Danny breathed out. Pedro then thrust his hand into Danny's pocket, fumbling around and giving him a lascivious, gloating look.

"Other pocket," Danny ground out.

"Lucky me," Pedro laughed as he took his time rummaging for the small key before finally producing it. He loosened the cuffs and let Danny escape them, then handed them over to Scar. "Put them on McGarrett instead," he was ordered as Pedro threw the key onto the desk.

Unlike with Danny, Steve was cuffed with his hands in the front, mostly due to his injuries, but Danny could tell, could see the sliver of knowing in Steve's bearing that he'd somehow tricked Scar into doing it that way. Danny was relieved because it meant Steve was going to still try and get them out of this. There was a spark in him still, despite the way he'd been watching what was happening to Danny with resignation and guilt. 

For his part, Danny would look for an opportunity, but he could admit that he wasn't in the best of positions, or had a Navy SEAL background to be able to come up with something by McGyvering their way out. He could only hold on and do as he was told and look for any chance that came his way - just like he had against Marco.

He took the pen shaft offered to him and looked once more at Steve who tried to convey the message of 'don't do it' but Danny had no choice. No choice at all. He gave Steve a half smile and tried for a reassuring nod, but wasn't sure it translated that way; or was believed.

Pedro impatiently grabbed the back of his head and pushed it down into the cum, the tip of Danny's nose pressed into it, though it didn't matter so much since he was already covered in cum from Pedro's ministrations and it reeked. _He_ reeked and he noticed more as he coughed more tobacco grit out.

"Don't keep us waiting, Danny. Itchy trigger fingers," he threatened.

Danny moved his hand closer, putting the thinner end of the shaft into his nose and positioning the other at the start of the line. He breathed out, braced himself and then pulled in the breath again, cum, dirt and tobacco residue making it's way up his nose with a wet snort. He was able to lean back when he was done, the look of disgust on his face too difficult to hide but Pedro only laughed at him as he coughed things back into his mouth and grimaced as he swallowed it back down.

"Danny, it's going to be okay," Steve said. "I'm so sorry but we're going to be okay, I promise."

"A lovely sentiment, McGarrett, but unlikely to become true," Pedro said as he poured another line on the ground. "Other side, Danny. Dirty bitches need to fill their noses up."

Danny swallowed, feeling the cum at the back of his throat, up in his sinuses and as much as he wanted to blow it all back out again, he couldn't. He felt sick, he even felt a little light headed. He leaned over again, defiance in his eyes even though he was going to do as he was told. He switched sides and took the line in, but he had to stop halfway to swallow from the back of his throat before finishing. He sniffed, trying to clear his nose and stayed forward as he tried to shift the mess that he could feel inside his nose and throat, like mucus when you had a cold.

Pedro grabbed his hair again and yanked him back, opening his jaw and pouring cum from the bottle directly inside, forcing his mouth shut after. "Leave it," he warned. "Don't swallow."

Pedro turned to Steve once again and regarded him carefully. 

"You want to fuck him, don't you," he said, pointing back at Danny. "Or maybe you already have. Is that why he's so loose? So easy? Because you've already fucked him open so often. Difficult to resist a skilled whore, isn't it." There were no questions in his voice and Steve blanched despite his own defiant attitude, actually _listening_ to Pedro's taunts. "He must have needed more than what you could offer if he so readily took an assignment in a whore house. Must have wanted to get away from you…he needs someone to show him what a nothing he really is, show him he's trash…."

"Let him go." Steve threatened.

"No. Not when things are getting interesting. I think you deserve a front row seat for this," he stood straight again and motioned to Scar. "Bring him closer."

Steve was manhandled up from the wall, wincing as Scar dragged him by his bad arm and threw him back on the ground in front of Danny, only a few feet away from him, just out of arm's reach and able to stare right at him, so close. 

Danny was still and silent; his orders to keep the cum in his mouth making him unable to do much beyond making frustrated noises when he wanted to tell Steve not to listen, not to believe a word of Pedro's lies and instead how much Danny loved him.

"Show him, Danny. Let him see your tongue," Pedro said and Danny opened his mouth, sticking his cum covered tongue out and looking up and away from Steve's gaze. "Now swallow and show him again."

When he did, Pedro bent low behind him, his head practically on Danny's shoulder as he looked at Steve. 

"You wish it was your cum, don't you, McGarrett. The fact that it's mine is killing you." He licked a stripe up Danny's neck and then went to Steve and stage whispered in his ear. "He likes it. Likes the taste. It's better than yours."

"I think he hates it and would prefer to spit it back into your face," Steve said, eyes slowly moving from Danny to Pedro.

"Is that right? Danny?" Pedro turned to him. "Why don't you tell Steve here the truth?" he said and made Scar press his gun hard into Steve's head, making him flinch.

"I like it," he started, repeating Pedro's words. "It's better than Steve's. I want more."

"There you go, McGarrett," Pedro leaned back, arms wide with a flourish. 

He walked behind the desk and grabbed the bottle of vodka, taking the top off as he made his way further round and theatrically raised the bottle above Danny before pouring it out over his head. 

"The pathetic whore will do anything I tell him to because he's _desperate_ for a good filling, for my cock to ram him so hard he bleeds," he laughed and then kicked Danny over to the side and prodded him onto his back with his boot. He knelt beside Danny and ignored Steve's yells at him to stop, that Danny had had enough, that he'd do anything to make it all stop.

Danny stared up, tried to ignore everything despite the loud yells, the strong smells and the forceful touches and tried to detach from what was going on; what was happening to him that he knew he had to let happen. 

His mouth was opened again and filled from both bottles. His jaw was held tight, he was shouted at to swallow, then the process was repeated, and then again _and again **and again**_ even as he spluttered and coughed it back up, there was no let up and the laughter close to him was the most unnerving and haunting he'd ever heard. There was very little left in each bottle and the last of their contents was emptied over his eyes and trickled up his nose, making his chest heave and arch off the ground as he tried to breathe, hands flailing in the air.

"You see, McGarrett? He is _**nothing**_. Nothing but a pathetic, pitiful, desperate _**bitch**_ ripe for the breaking. This is just the beginning. By the time I'm done with him he'll be a bloody, broken mess and if you're lucky, I'll let you try and clean up the pieces. If you survive." 

"I will send you _**straight to hell**_!" Steve roared in the man's face, spitting, but Pedro took it in his cocky stride. 

"Suck my dick," Pedro snarled in reply, grabbing an ample handful of his hardened crotch at Steve's eye level. "Better yet. He can. Or maybe I'll stick it somewhere else." 

Danny moaned and turned onto his side away from the people in the room, palm slapping at the floor ineffectually as the vodka began to affect his vision and slow his mind. "Steve?" he asked, unsure for a moment why his admittedly blurry vision wasn't seeing him. 

"I'm right here, Danny, I'm right here and we're going to be alright. I'll make it alright." 

Danny got his knees underneath himself, his ass up while his elbows scraped along the ground as he tried to rise higher but it was more difficult to raise his heavy head as the world swam in front of him. 

A hand grasped him from behind, snuck through his legs and grabbed tightly onto his groin, tight enough to hurt and he hissed as it pulled painfully. 

"You're not hard for me, Danny. You're disappointing me. And when I'm disappointed, I point guns at people's heads." 

"I'm sorry. 'm sorry," he muttered, trying to blink away the alcohol fuzz that had descended over him and concentrate on the fact that he needed to do this to keep Steve and the others safe. And hey, on the plus side, the alcohol might have a decently numbing effect when it came to Pedro deciding to penetrate him. He gave a little laugh as he thought of it. 

"What's so funny, _**puto**_?" 

"Nothing, nothing, I just… I'll do better, whatever you want." 

"What I want is for you to pay attention!" Pedro swung his leg and it impacted hard into Danny's stomach, sending him back onto the ground again, turning onto his side as he clutched at it. The breath had been stolen from him and the pain radiated out and then he was kicked once more amidst the loud rushing of sound in his ears as he heard people yelling again and that was when he realized he'd screwed his eyes shut. 

He opened them just in time to see Pedro's snarling face narrow in on him, both his hands outstretched and grabbing into Danny's abused hair, lifting his head and then slamming it back down, impacting the ground, hard. 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gross stuff was over in the last chapter, but there's still a little bit of pain here. we're fully into the recovery after this, we'll get the case finished and Danny will do some stupid BAMFy things that Steve will get pissed off about.

The force stunned him. 

Everything went white, greyed out and then went black for a bit. He had no idea what was going on or even who he was for a second or two… or maybe more, he couldn't tell. He blinked rapidly, his mouth wide open, jaw aching from what it had been forced into so far and he saw Pedro standing over Steve and though his ears didn't seem to be switched back on properly yet, his eyes were getting there and it looked like he was ordering Scar to blow Steve's head off.

He lifted his hand and screamed out, "No! No, please! Please…" He pushed to his knees and the change of position was dizzying. His head felt like it was going to fall off his body and there was a trickle of something down the back and everything was off kilter but he knew enough to beg. "Please, I'll suck you, you can use my body, it's okay," he said the last to Steve, trying to convey that it didn't matter so long as Steve was safe, that he wasn't killed because Danny didn't give his body away. It was nothing. His body wasn't important, it would heal, everything would fade and he knew inside that his mind and heart was somewhere else and he wouldn't allow Pedro to take that from him. He could have anything from him. He just couldn't take Steve. Not Steve.

Just before Pedro could say anything back, someone came flying through the door, looking harried and guilty. "Boss, there's a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"The other two. They got away, they escaped."

" _ **Baboso**_!" Pedro shouted at him. "Get packed up. We'll deal with these two."

"Yes, boss," he said then left, closing the door behind him.

"Looks like we don't have the kind of time together I'd have hoped for, Danny. I did want to wait longer, but looks like I need to skip to the end," he dragged Danny up from the ground and flung him face first onto the desk, ass hanging off the end and everyone in the room knew what Pedro was going to do as he began fumbling at Danny's belt, pulling it from around his waist, using it to whip him once before pushing all the material, all the barriers, away from his ass.

"Stop it," Steve warned him, with more bite that Danny would have expected given their current problems.

"It's okay, Steve," Danny mumbled, lips pressed to the desk. "He does this and he won't shoot you, that's good."

"Listen to him McGarrett, he's right," Pedro spat on Danny's ass, rubbed his fingers between his cheeks and pushed two rough, fat fingers in, making Danny wince and yelp and tighten his fists as he tensed his body, knowing he shouldn't but unable to stop himself. "This is when the party gets entertaining. Watch and learn, _Commander_ , this is how you treat a whore like Danny."

"I don't think so," Steve growled and twisted. Danny couldn't seem to keep track of the man's limbs as he got onto his back, threw his legs up and caught Scar's wrists between his ankles, making him drop the gun. He threw his bound hands back and impacted the guy's nose, stood too fast for Danny's knocked about head to comprehend and then Scar was on the ground. Unconscious or dead, Danny didn't know, didn't have time to think about because it was Pedro's turn from where he had abandoned Danny and had lunged for the discarded gun.

Steve dragged the man up from the ground, knocking the gun further away, kneed him in the balls, grasped his cuffed hands into the man's neck and crushed the air from him. Pedro got a good few punches in but Steve was a man possessed, dark, and had too much strength in him to back down, even when Pedro plunged his fingers into Steve's bullet wound.

He reared back with the pain and Pedro saw an opportunity, but his kick was caught by Steve who did some kind of ninja move to twist him, brought an elbow down and broke Pedro's leg savagely. Once he was down, Steve sat on top of him, grabbed his head up and threw it back onto the ground, in a parody of what Pedro had done to Danny but with more viciousness, more rage and the blood flowed fast from a wound at the back of Pedro's head where he lay.

As Danny slunk down off the desk to sit on the ground, Steve was able to free himself from the cuffs and then rush to his side. "Danny? Danno?" Steve swam in front of him but it was steadied by the appearance of hands cupping Danny's face, holding him. "Talk to me."

"What now?" Danny asked, slurred. He knew he was drunk and his head was sore inside and out in a way he couldn't have ever imagined pain could be, but he had some wits about him and he knew there were other people, other gang members close by. 

And his ass was cold. And a little bit sore. He fumbled, grabbing the corners of his pants where they were tangled low on his legs and began to pull them up.

"We hang tight for the cavalry," Steve told him as he darted looks to the door and helped Danny cover himself back up, albeit haphazardly.

"But-" Danny began.

"If need be, I have the gun and we have a fighting chance. They were told to kill Chin and Kono if they heard anything happen in here but they're safe now. There's nothing hanging over our heads anymore, we can get ourselves out of this."

"You were waiting," Danny said, catching on as Steve examined his injuries. "Once Chin and Kono got away you knew you could fight back and not worry."

"I waited too long, I should've moved sooner, but I had to be sure Pedro was distracted. Danny, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have waited, the moment he touched you I knew it was the wrong decision."

Danny ignored Steve's confessions, his guilt. He didn't care about that right now, his head couldn't cope with it and he was still stuck on the idea that he hadn't noticed that Steve had been acting about his injuries while he'd been so worried. "You hammed it up, didn't you."

"I exaggerated a little. Let them think I was more incapacitated by it all than I was. It helped."

"Don't use big words right now," Danny waved him off, his brain working too slowly to translate what was going on. Too many syllables didn't help. Everything could wait until later, when his head wasn't so swollen that it was going to burst out of his skull. 

He reached out and prodded Steve's bloody arm, testing.

"Ow," Steve pulled back and gave Danny a face. "It does hurt, thank you. It's still a real wound."

With Steve leaning back, Danny caught a whiff of himself as the air moved around him and he felt his stomach lurch. "I'm gonna be sick."

It was probably the head injury. Or the amount of alcohol and other stuff in his stomach. But he was blaming the way he scrambled to vomit into the corner on the images in his mind and the recollection of what he'd done. He continued until there was nothing else inside him - until the need to spew everything out was superseded by the abject pain in his muscles, his stomach, his jaw, his ass, his head; especially the agony he felt lancing through his brain.

He was dragged away from the corner, away from the smell of bile and puke and his back rested against something cold and hard.

He lifted a hand to his head, to the center of his hurting and pressed lightly on the wetness in his hair. He winced, and then wished he hadn't done that.

His hand was pulled away by the wrist as Steve looked at the injury again. "How are you feeling? Really?"

"Head hurts," Danny mumbled. "Kinda wiped."

"I get that, but you need to stay focused, Danno, okay? I need you to keep paying attention. These guys could try to come back in at any moment. I don't know if they heard the fight but they might begin to wonder what's taking so long."

"Did I get knocked out?" Danny asked, squinting up at Steve. 

"A little bit," Steve admitted with a tilt of his head. "Couple of minutes. I thought- never mind what I thought."

"I'm okay," Danny reached a hand out to Steve's cheek and the other man leaned into the touch, closing his eyes to it and taking the moment to breathe. He then clasped his hand into Danny's.

"You're really not, but we're going to sort that out. I've got you, buddy."

"Boss, we gotta go!" A shout came through the door and Steve looked up, eyes widening with worry as he readied his gun and kept low, sheltering his body over Danny's where they were crouched. 

As if on cue, gunfire broke out. It was muffled at first, coming from outside, but it got louder. Bullets were flying in all directions and then a few began to burst through the crappy wood of the office door and walls - one even impacted on old picture frame not far above Steve's head, shattering the glass around them.

Danny couldn't see straight yet, but he reached out to Steve. "Gun, need a gun."

"No, you don't. Not if you can't focus on me properly; you'd waste the bullets. I don' t think they're after us, but this office isn't providing much cover." He looked around them and then it seemed to twig. "Come 'ere." He beckoned Danny to slide forward, helping him with a hand locked into Danny's elbow and then he rose up and lifted the end of the metal desk they were beside and tipped it over, providing them with better cover as the gunfight continued in the main area.

Considering the amount of gang members out there, and for the amount of bullets they'd been listening to and the shouting, there had to be a lot more than just Chin and Kono fighting their corner.

Steve wrapped a hand around Danny's middle and drew him back to the safety of the upturned desk; his back pressed to Steve's chest, his warmth enveloping him like a blanket. He clutched at Steve's arm where it was around him.

Steve's other hand held the gun in it, ready should it be needed though both of them fervently hoped the good guys were winning. The fight was definitely ebbing, but until someone came near them, they'd have no real idea if they'd need to defend themselves and there was no plan. No time for one. Besides, Danny barely even knew what was going on and Steve was too busy worrying about protecting him to come up with an escape.

A kiss was placed on Danny's hair. "I love you."

"My head hurts," Danny responded. "Think it needs more than kissing better," he let out a low laugh and felt the shakes of Steve's chest as he responded. Even half out of it, Danny was trying to make him feel better about their possible impending death with a joke.

The bangs tapered further. Only the odd one reverberated around them and Steve kept twisting his neck up, craning his head above the desk to try and see the door. There were no windows so he couldn't see who was still standing, but he was coiled like a tight spring, muscles tight as they held onto Danny, and he was ready for whatever came through that flimsy piece of wood still hanging on the wall and keeping them inside.

"Steve! Steve?"

"Danny!"

"Commander McGarrett?"

The voices overlapped as Steve slunk back down and hugged Danny warmly. "Thank God," he murmured, threw the gun aside and ran his hand up and down Danny's arm instead. "I've got you, it's okay."

Danny moaned as Steve shuffled around. He had been getting comfortable. It was difficult with the amount of pain he had in various places, but snug in Steve's arms had been working. Lulling him, despite the noises surrounding them and as Steve tried to rise up over the rim of the desk, it nudged Danny back to some awareness and he moaned as his head jarred.

"Stay with me, buddy," Steve held firm to his shoulder. "In here!" he yelled, and Danny grimaced at the noise. Gunfire hadn't been so bad but the shrillness of Steve's relief by his ear had struck a nerve.

"Shut up," Danny moaned. "Too loud. What's going on?"

"Cavalry," he responded. "We're in here!" he yelled again and the door flew open and cracked against the back wall where it succumbed to age and the battering of bullets and fell, collapsing to the floor and making Danny bring his hands up to protect his ears as he moaned again in pain, twisting his body at more of an angle to Steve's.

"Steve," Chin's relieved voice breathed out and he came closer, other footsteps following behind as he came around the desk.

"We need EMTs. Now." Steve ordered.

Danny didn't look, but he heard a different voice than Chin's speaking low into a radio. Grover. It sounded like Grover, which meant SWAT had arrived to help out.

"Danny?" Chin asked, crouching, a careful hand reaching for Danny's bare shoulder but he flinched away, turning more into Steve and refusing to look up at his rescuers. He couldn't. He couldn't look at them, didn't want to see the looks in their eyes. He stared at the drab wall with its peeling paint and ignored them. 

Hell, he didn't want them to see him like this. He was injured, in pain, there was no way he could do anything right now without help, but he couldn't face them. Couldn't face _**up**_ to them, because he had a feeling they knew what had happened or would take one look at him and draw their own conclusions and he hated that.

"How bad was it?" Chin asked softly.

"Bad," Steve said then cleared his throat, cradled the back of Danny's head and held him close. "Danny, baby, it's okay, I've got you, I'm right here," he murmured soothingly and Danny could hear the catch in Steve's throat as he spoke and felt his lips move against his forehead.

Other voices arrived and Danny tuned everything out. It wasn't difficult. The pain rebounding through his empty and yet swollen feeling brain was distracting. The rest of the aches in his body took a back seat to his head but they all contributed to the desperate exhaustion he'd felt since the relief had flooding through him at Steve's words of safety. 

If there was anyone he trusted it was Steve and he'd know the man's arms anywhere and staying cocooned in them sounded like the best idea in the world. When he felt those arms loosen, attempting to fob him off to strange ones, he reacted badly. He gripped into Steve's t-shirt, making the man wince as Danny aggravated Steve's injured ribs but Danny didn't care, he wouldn't let Steve let go of him.

"No, no, no," he slurred out. "Steve, don't… not…"

"It's okay, Danny," Steve held him close again, pulling him in tight. 

Danny felt like he was in a tunnel, voices were distorted, some familiar to him, some strange and he couldn't pinpoint them but they were all around him and it made him uncomfortable and he pushed himself as close to Steve as possible and then continued like he could conceivably get closer, feet scuffling across the ground in his need.

"We need to get him to a hospital, Commander," a strange voice commented.

"I can't watch this," he identified Kono's strained voice, muffled as it was.

"Aw geez, the poor man's traumatized, give him a minute." Grover? It sounded like him.

"Can you tell us what happened?"

"He's been assaulted. Sexually. Force-fed. And beaten. His head, it…. he has a concussion, I'm sure of it," Steve told them, his voice loud and strong, close to Danny's ear even though he'd partially covered it with a hand like Danny would do with Grace to do 'ear muffs' when he didn't want her listening in to adult conversations.

"Which is exactly why we need to get him out of here," a different strange voice said. "He clearly needs your help but we need you to encourage him into the ambulance. We'll be as delicate as we can." 

EMTs. These were paramedics that had arrived. Danny didn't know them, and he knew a few of them these days after everything that happened to Five-0. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. 

"He's not going to let go and to tell you the truth, I don't want to either," Steve said as he tried to reposition them.

"I understand. But you need medical attention, too."

Fingers carded through Danny's wet hair; the sweat, vodka, blood and cum combined and yet the hand was gentle and caring. He hummed a little into the touch as it soothed his aching head, just a little, but a little was in the right direction and he appreciated it.

"Danny? Sweetheart, can you look at me?" Those gentle hands moved his head into a better position. Their foreheads touched and then Steve pulled back to look into Danny's unfocused eyes. "We've gotta move."

"Hey," Danny half smiled, touching Steve's lips with the tips of his fingers. He wasn't taking in everything Steve was saying to him, but was pleased to see his face, concerned as it was, which turned his smile into a frown. "You okay?"

"I'm alright, Danny, but you aren't. We need to get you out of here."

"Not leaving you," Danny moved his hand to clutch at Steve's shoulder.

"I'm not leaving you, either. I want you to come with me, can you do that?"

"People, I… I don't want people to see I'm a mess and… Steve, what I did-" he choked off, shaking his head which was a lousy decision because everything inside was too pressurized and it hurt, like it was going to explode.

"Danny," Steve looked at him again with determination. "You survived. I'm proud of you. Everyone is, there's nothing to be ashamed about. Not from you."

He began to shake his head again and this time the pain hurt more than before and coupled with how much he fell back into his memory to refute Steve's claims, he brought a hand to his mouth. "I'm gonna-"

He twisted his head over Steve's shoulder and his stomach lurched. There was nothing left in it to come up apart from spit balls of bile as he heaved - muscles aching at the act but he couldn't seem to stop it from happening and it brought tears to his eyes as it continued. 

Hands kept him steady - Steve's - warm and strong, rubbed over his back and his soothing words continued until he collapsed, slipping down Steve's side and being bumped back up into his arms.

"I smell alcohol," the unfamiliar voice spoke.

He could feel Steve's nod. "He was forced to drink half a bottle or so of vodka. And there was…" he paused and was careful with his words. "Reyes mixed it with semen." He wanted to tell Steve to shut up, not to tell everyone, how dare he tell people but he couldn't. He felt like a beached whale in Steve's arms and not all of it was physical - plenty of it was his mental desire to retreat and switch off.

"Has he been sick before now?"

"Yes, maybe ten minutes ago. It's the concussion?"

"Maybe, but it could also be his stomach trying to expel the excess alcohol. The same could explain his trouble focusing, we won't know until the doctors can do a CT scan. The sooner the better, Commander," he warned Steve in a not-so-veiled attempt to get him to move faster. 

"Danny? Can you stand?" Steve started, then tried another tact to get Danny listening to him. "We'll get you checked out then get you home. You want to go home, right?"

"Hmmm," Danny murmured, then lifted his head from Steve's shoulder. Home would mean getting away from here, from the people, from the smells, from the… bodies. He knew Reyes was lying nearby. He suspected that if Steve hadn't killed him then he definitely had injuries he wouldn't recover from because Steve with a dark focus didn't show mercy. If he was alive, Steve would see that as a mistake, as a failure and he doubted Steve had failed. 

Danny wanted to wallow, but he knew he couldn't do that unless he submitted to something. He wanted to lie in a dark room with no questions, no sympathy, no pity… no threats. He had to leave here to do that, and he'd need to go through some indignities and first up would be doctors and tests.

He needed to see this through. All of it. He would hate every second, but he'd get through, even if it meant using the very warm, sturdy and strong crutch that Steve was to him.

"Guys, I know we all want to go with Danny but it'll put his mind to rest if you finish processing the scene. I want to be able to tell him this is all over."

"You got it, boss. Anything he needs," Kono answered. 

Chin reached out for Danny again, and though he didn't flinch, he still didn't meet Chin's eyes, still couldn't. A part of him didn't think he'd be able to look anyone directly in the eye ever again. But he raised his hand to cover Chin's. "Thank you," he said, meaning it and knowing that as much as he hated the situation, he knew he'd be dead right now if it wasn't for his teammates.

He was dimly aware of Chin's smile as he ducked his head back down. "None needed."

Steve grasped his hands under Danny's shoulders and was able to help him stand, both of them still with arms tangled and so close it was difficult to walk, but they got one foot in front of the other and made it towards the door, all the while with Steve shielding Danny to things going on around them and making sure his pants were better done up, which made Danny's chest ache knowing the others had seen that. 

He turned back to the room. 

"Wait, wait… find them. The ones who got sold. Please. I can't… I can't leave them going through this kind of shit. Or worse, I need… I need to get them safe again. Find the books, interrogate anyone still alive, please, don't give up on this." His eyes closed in desperate hope before he even finished talking.

"We won't, Danny," Kono answered for them all. "We'll make them talk."

"You didn't go through this for nothing, we'll make sure of it," Chin said, agreeing with Kono.

"Okay," Danny nodded, regretting the motion then tucking his head back into Steve's shoulder. They stumbled a little, and Steve caught Danny, wincing when it aggravated his injured arm. The EMTs were by their sides, arms ready and waiting to help but Steve was determined to stay by Danny and not let anyone get to him until they were out the door. Danny was determined to walk, to show he still had some strength, to show the gang bangers who were still conscious and being cuffed, that he wasn't broken. That Pedro Reyes didn't get any victory in this. 

His head may not be at its highest but damned if he'd let these people see him hurting.


	20. Chapter 20

They made it to the ambulance and into it before they were pulled apart. Even then, they continued to hold hands as Danny was placed on the stretcher and Steve sat beside, touching Danny wherever he could while trying not to get in the way of the paramedic.

Being wheeled into the hospital, Danny kicked up a fuss and fought against the hands holding him down if anyone even dared to think about separating them and in the end, Danny watched from the bed of his private room as Steve's arm was stitched up. 

He'd had a CT scan, x-rays on his ribs (Steve had his done, too, so they'd been able to go together), been poked and prodded for various tests he'd lost track of, his hand was a pin cushion again for whatever they were flushing his system with and everything had a sense of deja vu about it. All the while, he was aware of where Steve sat nearby, and now he was blankly ignoring the doctor's questions, concentrating his still fuzzy head on one thought - Steve's wellbeing. 

"Detective?" He heard again and as the doctor attempted to get his attention by putting her head in front of Danny, he instead focused on the woman's ear and the curl of hair around it and didn't meet her eyes. He still couldn't look at people, and he just didn't want to.

She gave a 'humph' and proceeded to listen to things, look at things - including shining a too bright light directly into his brain, or so it seemed - and he felt a strange stirring of memory, of not caring what happened to his body so long as Steve was okay and he hung onto it while she worked, yet he still felt distinctly uncomfortable giving the thought credence. 

Once Steve's arm was bandaged up, he brought the chair he was in over and took Danny's hand, relaxing him, making him content with the contact and letting his sore eyes and head drift. If he did sleep, he wouldn't be allowed to for long, but his aim was to rest, not sleep. He had a feeling sleep wouldn't be as healing as doctors would make him believe.

"Commander, I'm going to recommend someone from neurosurgery stops by to take a look at Danny."

"What? Why? You said the CT looked good, nothing major."

"Yes, however we can't be too careful, and his reactions are worrying."

"But that doesn't mean there's something wrong with him," Steve said, half defensively, half concerned.

"No. That's why I'll need to forward my concerns to the psychiatric department as well. I believe there are some there who have worked with police and military personal before."

"He's been through a lot lately but that doesn't mean he won't pull through. He's got family. A daughter. He's strong, he won't let this beat him. This is just…. the stress and the injuries and the alcohol. If you'd given him proper pain meds it would be from that, too."

"I told you, it's too risky with a potential brain injury to give him something. It's best we wait until the second CT scan in the morning. His prognosis is good, his injuries will heal. My concern now would be post-concussion syndrome and for the effects of the blow to his head to continue on for maybe a few months. Psychologically? We could be looking at ASD or PTSD. Like you said, he's been through a lot, and that's just from the notes we have on why he was brought in early this morning. What's happened since is… well," she shook her head.

"Like I said, he'll pull through," Steve squeezed Danny's hand as Danny turned away from them and stared at the window and the darkness outside. The fluorescents in the room didn't help his head.

Steve and the doctor seemed to talk for longer, their voices a steady monotone that Danny drowned out as he seemed to doze but also maybe not, more like drifted, but never let himself go for too long, his fingers tightening on Steve's for reassurance.

"Can he take a shower?" he heard Steve ask and he perked his ears up. Yes, please, he needed to wash the funk off and only so much had been shifted from him by the ministrations of the nurse.

"It's not a good idea. I could ask for a nurse to return, help wash him again."

"No, he needs a proper shower, it's what he prefers. He likes to do it for himself."

"His injuries, I can't recommend he be on his feet-"

"You have chairs in the showers here though, right? He can sit."

"Alone, he might get hurt, might fall," she missed the part where she thought he might hurt _**himself**_ , even Danny in his drifting state could tell that much from her tone.

"I'll be in there with him."

"I don't know that that's-"

"Appropriate?" Steve asked, a touch of anger in his voice. "It's not like I've not seen him naked before. He's my partner, in every sense. We're getting married."

Danny's ears pricked, his brow furrowed, tense and he turned to Steve, opening bleary eyes and wondering if he'd heard right or if he _had_ fallen asleep. Getting married? When did that get decided?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-. Of course, if Danny is up to it then he may shower, but it would be best if the nurse comes in to take care of wrapping your arm and tending to Danny's drip."

"Thank you," Steve replied and turned his attention fully back to Danny as the doctor left. "Hey, baby," he smiled, smoothing a hand over Danny's hair while the other held tight to his forearm, thumb caressing over the inside of his wrist.

"Just us?"

"Yeah, listen, we can't go home tonight, we've gotta stay here a little bit longer but I'm going to get you cleaned up. I'm gonna make sure they know how to take care of you, or just let me do it, okay? Everything's gonna be alright but they need to run some more tests in the morning to make sure your head's getting better."

Danny nodded. "Water?" he asked and Steve brought a straw to his lips and made sure he was careful. 

A nurse arrived and futzed with them, moving so fast around them that Danny felt the breeze go through the hairs on his arms. She read Steve the riot act about how to do things and then left again after trying to get Danny's attention with a little joke and lightness. He appreciated it, but she knew what was wrong with him, what had been done to him and it continued to make him feel awkward and to not want to interact with people who knew. He kept his head turned away from her and neutral. 

He let her and anyone else who tried to talk to him think it was the head injury and the physical pains that made him like this but he knew it wasn't. He knew he was being crazy, in a traditional sense. He felt too weak to face up to things but they replayed in his head. He considered so many possible outcomes; how things could have been worse, how things might have even been better for them if he'd tried to act sooner against Reyes. Had his 'going along with it' and waiting actually been something he could have avoided? Maybe it was all his own fault he was like this right now. If he hadn't been brave enough or smart enough.

Steve's encouragement to sit up snapped him out of his head, but he knew the thoughts were waiting for him should he retreat again. He lifted up; Steve's arm around his waist keeping him steady as he jumped down from the bed to his feet and together they shuffled to the bathroom and through the door. 

Danny had been put in a hospital gown shortly after arrival. What had remained of his clothing had been taken away and, he hoped, incinerated. Steve had been luckier, and had kept his pants and t-shirt, though even those looked like they'd be going into the garbage soon enough, messy and stained as they were.

The shower cubicle was large, the floor slanted into the middle where the drain was and there was a plastic chair at the side. Steve shucked his clothes quickly then supported Danny again, taking off the gown and putting it aside. 

He started the water and then had to hold Danny back from getting under until it was a good temperature. "You can sit," he gestured to the chair but Danny refused. 

"Standing is better, right now." Once Steve let Danny move, he kept a bracing hand on his elbow and then followed him under the spray.

Danny winced at first, the loud and heavy water aggravating his headache, but the feel of the cascade on his shoulders and back already began to make him feel better. It was a ritual, and part of it he knew had to be a mental component of cleansing the body and soul at the same time. Just being here, feeling the water move down his body, watching it swirl in the drain feeling like it was taking the dirt with it. There was always a need to scrub, to get at the invisible layer - the one that had been left behind by the touch of evil, a layer not just of what fluid was wiped and poured onto Danny but of emotion. Of words and how they made him feel. The names used, the descriptions. The attempts to push Danny down, to make him feel worthless. To call him nothing. To make sure Danny was aware that he was a toy to be played with and discarded like trash.

It was all in that layer of dirt and it wouldn't come out unless he scrubbed. And maybe it wouldn't all go at once. It might take several attempts but he started now. 

Steve's hands were gentle on him as they washed his hair and helped soap his body into a lather but Danny knew that gentle wasn't enough. He put his hand over Steve's, pushed it harder against him, dug it into the muscles and bone. He didn't care about injuries, didn't care if it turned his skin to a raw red that would mix with the yellows, greens, blues and blacks of his bruises and scabs.

Steve let him, for a while. But when he rubbed over the same patch of skin on his stomach over and over, Steve called a halt. "Danny, stop, I know what you're doing, but stop, please."

"I gotta… I gotta get into it, gotta get it out," Danny argued back over the stream of water that blinded his eyes. 

Steve took a step out of the spray taking Danny with him. He bore Danny's weight at the unexpected movement and steadied him as he lowered into the chair. He threw the sponge aside, and the water beat a rhythm on his back, blocking it from Danny as he sat there.

"Talk to me, baby," he encouraged, hands cupping Danny's neck as he crouched lower, the water hitting Danny's side again.

Danny shrugged, shook his head and tried not to fall back into his mind, back into the thoughts that upset him, that made him think abut what could have been. If he hadn't insisted on going in, just the four of them, if they'd been more careful and checked the area better and not just the warehouse? Could it all have been avoided?

He just… he wished none of it had happened. That Pedro had died in Colombia with Marco, that Steve hadn't seen any of it, that… that he hadn't done _**anything**_. None of it. That he still had some dignity left.

He licked his lips, drew in the bottom one and bit.

"Hey," Steve got his attention again. "Don't go there, don't blame yourself for what he did to you," Steve said, partially reading Danny's mind and it was too much. Because as guilty as Danny felt about what he'd done and what Steve had been made to watch, he knew Steve was going to be blaming himself, too. He wouldn't be listening to his own words.

He ducked his head forward and let the tears fall, hoping the water would wash them away. Dirty tears, just like everything else on him and in him. Filth. All of it. Like the kind he could still feel at the back of his throat, still smell, still taste, feel the texture…Pedro may be dead. _**Hopefully**_ dead, in a way Danny had never wished death on a person before, but he still affected Danny in so many ways, still held some kind of command over him.

Steve hugged him close, arms around his shoulders, and shushed him over the roar of the water. "I'm sorry, Danny, I'm so sorry, but it's okay now. I've got you, I've got you and I promise you're safe. I'm gonna keep you safe, I'm here, I'm gonna keep you-" Steve choked off as he ducked his head into Danny's neck. 

Danny continued to cry. He couldn't stop even if he wanted. He knew this was it, this was the moment he had to let it out and he took it. It felt like grieving. The loss of a time before the Reyes family had entered his life. Their lives, plural, because it had affected what he had with Steve. They'd both been hurt in some form and it wasn't something to recover from like a broken bone would heal. 

Danny was a smart man. He knew plenty about the psychology of this. He'd had the seminars and lectures and shrinks go over it with him in the past before and after undercover Ops. He'd never truly felt like they affected him before, but this was different and he knew it. He was well aware that he was struggling and that there was a hill to climb and it would take a lot of strength and energy but right now? Right now he didn't have it. There was no fight in him. He could blame the injuries, he could blame the strain, he could blame the alcohol, but most of all he blamed Reyes. Both of them. Their faces hung in the front of his mind and scared him shitless and for that reason, he cried.

He clung. He held on for dear life.


	21. Chapter 21

Steve had only bothered to put on his underwear, but Danny had the added benefit of the hospital gown he was wearing as they went back into the main room. Steve was going to help Danny back into the bed, but he refused. He wasn't done holding onto Steve and going into the bed meant that contact would lessen, maybe to just hand holding and he wasn't ready for that. 

He shook his head and Steve understood. 

"I don't know if we'll fit or if it'll support the weight. Maybe the armchair… but you should be in the bed, Danny, you need proper rest and the IV has to go back in."

Danny turned into Steve again, arms tight around his waist and face pressed below his shoulder.

There was a bustling, someone else coming into the room and he didn't look, he just trusted Steve to know if the person was okay.

A voice he was beginning to recognize, the nurse, was sorting things out, coming back in to help now that they were out of the shower. She seemed to understand what was going on because although Danny couldn't see Steve's face he could hear him, and he hadn't mentioned anything about what Danny was wanting. 

"You can fit. It might be a tight squeeze and I'm not so sure it's comfortable that way, but it'll hold you both."

"Thank you," Steve relaxed, a hand still caressing up and down Danny's spine. "I know this is out of the ordinary."

"Oh, you'd be surprised, honey," she answered him and then helped as Steve guided Danny onto the bed and got in himself, trying to find a way to be best comfortable. They settled with Steve on his back and Danny pressed into his side, an arm thrown over him and his head on Steve's chest.

She tended to Steve's arm again, then gently took hold of Danny's hand and sorted the IV for his fluids. He still didn't know what he was being given, but if it was meant to flush his body it seemed to be working - when he'd been in the bathroom he must have pissed out half his body weight and his head was feeling clearer of the affects of the alcohol, if not the concussion.

He rubbed his cheek against Steve's chest as she finished and he could get comfortable again around the hindrances. She pulled the covers up over them, but only to their waists, letting them decide if they wanted it higher. 

"Danny," she addressed him, sitting in the seat beside the bed to get to his eye level, even if he did blank her. "I know you're hurting, honey, and I know you don't want to talk to anyone right now, but we've got to make sure your head is okay through the night. We'll need to keep waking you up to check how you're doing and you'll need to answer questions. If Steve doesn't mind, we'll get his help for it, though really, he should be getting sleep, too," she lifted her head and looked pointedly at Steve for the last. 

"It's okay, Danny knows the deal. And I won't be sleeping, not tonight."

"I didn't know Navy SEALs did sentry duty," she said and Danny's lips quirked in a smile. He was listening and paying attention, even if he didn't want to talk to anyone but Steve and felt uncomfortable in anyone else's presence, but she was nice, and she had Steve pegged. That was a good sign, and maybe he'd be able to relax a little more around her. The doctor? He still wasn't so sure about.

"They do when they have partners like Danno," Steve answered her as he trailed a hand over Danny's hair, over his ear, into his neck and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

"I've seen a lot of people come through this hospital, and with a lot of different problems. And I tell you, as much as they have people who love and support them, it's not often I see two people joined at the hip like you."

"We aren't usually like this."

"Uh-huh," she nodded like she didn't believe him. She put her hand on Danny's shoulder and he didn't mind, not this time. "He's lucky to have you. Lucky that you're here to deal with the worst of times as well as the best."

"He'd do the same. I have no doubt."

"Well," she stood, "I need to go on more rounds, I'll let you two get your rest. Use the call button if you need anything."

She left, turning out the main overhead light and Danny sighed with relief as the harsh florescent wasn't able to hurt his eyes and head anymore. 

He rubbed his itchy nose against Steve's chest and settled again on him, letting Steve's caressing hands lull him into a vague amount of rest, untarnished by the bad thoughts but only because he concentrated on the feel of being surrounded and safe in Steve's arms. 

"Steve?" he asked, voice a little hoarse from his crying as well as everything else he'd put his throat through.

"Yeah?"

"When are we getting married?"

Steve took a moment, shuffled around on the bed a little as he avoided answering straight away, thinking how to proceed. "There's no… _**specific**_ date. I guess that depends on the where and things like when your family can fly out. Stuff like that."

"I asked the wrong question," Danny frowned. "I meant how… when was it decided? 'Cause I don't remember asking, and I don't remember saying yes."

Steve rubbed Danny's arm. "Well, it's a natural progression."

Danny lifted his head to look at Steve properly. "We were going to discuss everything. Once the Op was over. We said… we'd _**talk**_."

"And we will," Steve said, adamantly. 

"About flower arrangements and cake? That's not what I meant. I'm serious, Steve," Danny leaned his elbow into Steve's sternum, making him 'oof' with the pressure. 

"I am, too," Steve answered, reaching a hand out to Danny's cheek. "After what just happened, I know I don't want to be apart from you for the rest of our lives."

Danny's face softened and he lowered his head back to Steve's chest and hugged into him. Steve didn't know what he was saying, he was running on some kind of endorphins from the last few days and had some fantastical idea in his head that everything would work out better than okay, but Danny didn't believe that. "You might not be saying that next week," he mumbled as he stared at the wall. 

"Of course I will. Nothing's going to change how I feel about us."

Danny didn't say anything else. Couldn't. Didn't want to burst Steve's bubble but in a few days or a week or a month, if Danny couldn't get past some things, if he wasn't able to be the Danny that he was before, would Steve still want him then? A big part of him didn't believe, as much as he wanted to. As much as he clung tightly, a part of him wasn't sure how long that would last. How long would Steve stay as his crutch, as his support, as his world? Right now that was exactly what Steve was because he was the only person Danny could truly stand to be around. But what if in the cold light of morning, Steve couldn't cope with being so important to him?

They couldn't make decisions like this right after what happened, they just couldn't. 

Danny wanted to, oh how he wanted to. Wanted to be happy and let Grace go wild planning their future and a celebration and see their friends be happy for them. But the darkness that pushed into his mind from all corners stopped him from believing he could have that happiness.

His eyes watered, overflowed, slow trickles fell from the corners as he lay there, kisses being constantly pressed into his hair, hands holding tight around him, warm, strong, solid and safe. He didn't want it to stop. 

"Please don't leave," he asked, voice scratchy as he clutched into Steve's waist.

"Never."

*

Through the night, they were woken at intervals. Danny would mutter some choice answers about his name, the date, who the President was and he got more irritated each time. Steve seemed to enjoy it, like seeing Danny get annoyed was making him happy. His brain was wired wrong, and Steve just smiled wider when Danny pointed it out to him.

Sometime after sunrise, the nurse he'd begun to grow fond of had told them she was heading home.

He was uncomfortable. There were two others in the room, both of whom had recently come on shift and he didn't know them, but she was familiar now and he had come to trust her. He snagged her hand before she could leave, glanced at her name badge and thanked her properly.

For the first time, he met her eyes, as difficult as it was for him. She saw it, she knew he was struggling and in response she beamed at him, grasped his hand and told him she'd see him when she got back.

But that wasn't good news. Because that would mean he wasn't going home yet.

"Commander McGarrett, perhaps you could give us a moment?" One of the new guys in lab coats said from behind his clipboard.

"Perhaps not," he fake smiled back at the man while Danny stayed silent.

"Detective?" The man tried, but Danny shook his head.

"Steve stays."

"Very well," the man huffed. "The good news is that your latest CT came back clear. Neurology recommended an MRI but I've argued that it's unnecessary. You'll likely experience headaches, perhaps some other side effects for a while longer but we expect a full recovery from the physical trauma."

"That's good, that means he can come home?" Steve asked.

"We've asked the psychiatric department to consult. They'll be sending someone by this morning. There has been a lot of concern for the Detective's mental well-being after what's happened."

Danny sighed. He knew it was coming, had expected it. Hell, he'd hoped they'd just send the department shrink because at least he had met her before.

"In the meantime," the doctor continued. "Some of your colleagues are outside, they wish to speak with you. They said it was important."

"That's fine," Steve said.

Danny pushed up from the bed.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked, arms still around Danny. 

"I need up. I can't have them in here and be clutching onto you like a limpet."

"I don't mind. They won't either."

"Please," Danny argued as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched his back. He hadn't realized how stiff he'd become from being in such close quarters with Steve all night with very little movement between them. 

For his part, Steve still kept close, keeping one leg folded on the bed behind Danny so that he could still half hug him from behind, arms low around Danny's waist.

Danny was apprehensive and aware there was a shiver to his body. He was nervous about seeing his friends, still unsure of himself and how he might react to them, but he was mostly worried about what news they would bring. He could only hope it was good but was braced for the bad. 

Chin and Kono came in with a light knock and were hugging him before he knew it. They held tighter than he did, but one of his arms was still trapped in Steve's iron grip.

He hadn't looked at them properly since before the raid began a nightmare ago. It felt like ages, with everything in between taking over his thoughts and memories, it was like he hadn't seen them in years. He was able to meet their gazes, see the sympathy and try not to let it get to him. He hated being the subject of it and his gut twisted to see it, the unintentional reminder to him that something had happened that was bad, but he didn't fault them for it. 

The day before, when it had happened, the alcohol, the situation, everything had conspired to make it impossible for him to respond to anyone… anyone except Steve. Now he felt a bit better, a bit braver, and was beginning to remember that he couldn't become reclusive and needed to tackle his apprehensions straight on. He had to start with the people he was closest to and remind himself that they had his best interests at heart. 

They looked tired, weary. They looked like they'd been working all night. And they looked troubled.

"I'm sorry, Danny," Kono began. "Captain Fryer. He's dead."

"What happened?" Steve asked.

"He was shot during the other raid at Sand Island. He didn't make it," Chin answered.

"Tell me they found something, that it wasn't for nothing," Danny asked.

"HPD are still sifting through a lot of it," Kono said. "As for Moreau's place, it looks like they cleaned house as soon as they knew we were coming. There's no sign of the missing people or any trace of where they went."

Danny let his head fall back, trying to will the wetness to not fall from his eyes. Goddamnit. He did not go through this for nothing. Just one, even if they could find just one.

"This isn't fair," he said. "We need to find something."

"Danny, you put an end to the Reyes cartel, their operation fell apart. Think of the people they would have exploited that you've saved from going through that," Steve reasoned as Danny's head fell onto his shoulder. 

"There are still plenty of them who _**are**_ out there going through hell," Danny argued back. 

"We got the bad guys," Kono reached for him. 

"We can't save everyone, brah. No matter how much we want to."

"You've both been at this all night," Steve said. "Go home. Get some rest."

"I'm sorry, Danny," Kono hugged him again and he nodded into her neck before she pulled back, both her and Chin giving them their best attempts at smiles before leaving. He didn't begrudge them their sleep. They'd worked hard, it wasn't their fault they'd hit dead ends.

"They're right. We can't win every time. And I'd still say we did, there were just some unfortunate casualties along the way," Steve reasoned. 

Danny shook his head. "It's not good enough."

"For now, it'll have to be. I won't close the case, but if we don't get any new leads from HPD then I might have to eventually."

Danny growled in frustration, looking around himself. "I need to get out of here, I can't do anything lying in a hospital bed."

"You've not been cleared. It would be stupid and reckless to leave now. Besides, the Governor won't let you go back to work without a full psychological eval, you know that."

"I may not be at a hundred percent but I can be useful. I know these people, I know what they're like, how they think. You've never liked it but it's true. I worked Vice for a long time before you came along and that gives me insight the rest of the team doesn't have."

"And once you've been cleared, you can take a look at things. Right now, you're going to stay where you are and recover. Whoa, hey, what are you doing?" Steve asked as Danny slipped off the bed, pulling his elbow into his stomach as he did so, ribs and muscles still sore from the kicking he'd taken, but he was determined to get up and move around.

"I'm getting up," he answered. "The doctors just said my scans are clear, my injuries will heal. I don't need to be in a hospital for this."

"Yes, you do. Now sit down!" Steve ordered in a voice Danny usually only heard at work when he was talking to perps, and it shocked him for a moment and he turned fast to face Steve again, a dizziness sweeping through him that stopped him, but Steve either didn't notice or had chosen not to react to it. "You are not ready for anything except healing and getting treatment and seeing the therapists who want to speak with you. And if you try to leave before your doctors say, or if you try to get back into this case, I will take you out of Five-0 myself, are we understood?"

There was a look in Steve's eyes. It was a steely determination but there was a deep-rooted fear hiding behind it. 

Danny shook his head slowly, but he came back over to the bed and sat back down next to Steve, silent, stiff.

Steve huffed out a breath. "Good."

"This does not mean that you are right," Danny said quietly. 

"Of course not," Steve groaned.

"I mean it," Danny said pointedly. "I'm fine, or I'm going to be once my head stops pounding. Everything else that was messing me up has been flushed out of my system, or is healing."

"Yesterday you were shaking like a leaf and you wouldn't respond to anyone. Today, you're telling me all of that is fine now?" Steve didn't believe a word coming out of Danny's mouth.

"That's what I'm saying. I've got some bruises, my head is killing me but all that other stuff is fine."

There was a knock on the door and two men entered after a barely there acknowledgement from Steve. Danny glanced at them, their presence shifting things in the room from safe, secure and rashly hopeful to something else. He reached out and clutched onto Steve's forearm, not even noticing he had done so until Steve's breath hitched and his other hand descended on top, prying Danny's hand away to hold properly between both of his own hands. 

He turned his head down as the men introduced themselves as the psychiatrists that had been sent for. His eyes squeezing shut for a moment then squinting as he looked to the window instead.

"This is you being fine, is it?" Steve asked sarcastically. 

"Steve," Danny squeezed Steve's hand for support, his other rubbed over his chest. An anxiety he hadn't expected had fallen over him. It wasn't debilitating but it was there and he felt its presence like a shadow.

"Hey, hey," Steve kissed Danny's head and pulled him in close again as he took deep breaths to control himself, but then he pushed away. 

"No, it's okay," Danny assured him, cleared his throat then looked up at the men. "How does this work?"

"We're just here for a chat. How it works is entirely up to you. Perhaps the Commander can step out and we can talk?" The shorter one asked. 

"Perhaps the Commander will stay right where he is," Steve answered. Danny looked between the shrinks and Steve, gauging how the men raised their eyebrows. Perhaps they were actually getting two patients, rather than one.


	22. Chapter 22

Danny pushed the tray away having eaten as much as he could. Their time with the psychiatrists had left him tired and achey and he'd needed to lie back down on the bed for a nap. Steve had joined him, hugging him close and stroking his hand up and down Danny's spine soothingly.

He'd been woken when dinner had appeared. He hadn't realized he'd slept so long, but he was hungry and the staff were determined to get him eating and drinking so they could keep the drip out of him. That and, well, if he stopped eating on top of everything else, they'd think he was starving himself on purpose. Though when he'd wrinkled his nose at the food he'd been offered he was at pains to point out he was wanting to eat, it's just that the hospital food looked quite unappetizing and he'd much prefer some of Kamekona's garlic shrimp.

Which was when Steve produced a bag from beside the bed with a 'voila'. 

While he'd been asleep, Shamu had done his usual and shown up at the hospital to lend his support and to bring comfort food. It was times like these that Danny was reminded why he liked the guy, but as much as he wanted to thank him properly, he was glad he'd slept through the visit - the big man's ample presence would have been a lot to cope with. 

He wiped the crumbs from the front of his gown and announced he was going for a shower.

"I'll come with you," Steve said from where he was sitting in a chair beside him, still digging into the shrimp on his plate.

Danny waved him off. "It's okay, I'm much better now, I can do this on my own."

"Yeah, but-"

"On my own," Danny said to him again, emphatically. 

Chin and Kono had been by again and had brought clothes for both of them. And he'd missed it all because he'd been asleep. He wondered just how they'd managed not to wake him, but having been brought up with three siblings, he knew how to not let other non-threatening noises bring him out of his slumber.

He picked out a pair of sweats and a t-shirt from the bag, along with new underwear and headed into the bathroom, discarding his old, hospital smelling ones as he went. 

Getting under the spray was a relief again. Getting to do it on his own made him feel better about washing more residual shame from his body. It still hurt where the heavy spray landed on bruising, but he liked that it did because it felt like the clean water got deeper that way. 

There was a smell, it hung in his nostrils and he couldn't get rid of it. He'd been ignoring it as best he could, but it never went away. He could overwhelm it with food, strong perfumes, and being close enough to Steve that his scent masked anything else, but it was there and only now could he feel like that smell began to dissipate in the steam, to wash away with everything else, even temporarily. 

He scrubbed at himself, though with less force than before. Now it was mechanical, as he made sure not to miss any of his body. He pressed a finger down the cleft of his ass and around his hole, grimacing at the slight raw feeling from where Pedro had shoved two fingers inside. If he had the right stuff he'd try and clean himself out better. Knowing Pedro, and Marco, had invaded him there still made him want to do something about it, even if it was just fingers. He shuddered to think how much worse it could have been. The thought of having their cum inside him there made him want to throw up again and despite his stomach's desire, the muscles had no strength in them right now to comply and all he could do was heave twice, but nothing came up.

He was reluctant to turn off the shower once he was finished; standing there feeling the pummeling of the water as he braced his hands on the wall, but he knew he had to get out before someone came looking, concerned for him.

He dressed quickly, brushed his teeth and took the opportunity to shave and get his hair into some semblance of normality before going back into the room. If he looked the part, maybe people wouldn't tiptoe around him. Maybe they'd be more inclined to believe he was better. Maybe he'd believe it too.

"How are you feeling?" Steve asked as he came out.

"Better," Danny answered. "More like myself."

"That's good," Steve smiled and came closer, arms going around Danny's waist and swaying their bodies."I talked to the Doctor, he said you might be able to go home in the morning so long as you agree to continue seeing a psychiatrist."

Danny closed his eyes and let his head fall back. "That sounds good. Getting home and being able to sit on the couch and watch TV, sleep in a nice big bed, cook decent food..."

Steve's hand captured the back of Danny's head, pulling him in. He kissed his forehead and then lowered himself closer to Danny's lips, their noses bumping on the way. "That does sound good," he agreed, lips pressing to Danny's, making him moan. He'd missed this, missed the intimacy of a private moment between them, something with a frisson of sexiness that ignited something inside him. It still did, even though he knew they couldn't indulge. Even though he knew it was a bad idea when other images invaded his mind, but soon enough he'd be able to create new and better memories to bury the old.

He opened his mouth, enticed Steve closer with gentle touches of his tongue. He drew featherlight fingertips down Steve's bicep, down the inside of his arm then over to his hip where he dipped them under the waistband of his pants. 

"What are you doing?" Steve smiled into the kisses.

Danny pressed up, let his hand wander around to Steve's dick and rubbed the palm of his hand over it. "I believe it's called teasing. Foreplay, even. At the very least, we're making out."

He kissed him again, biting into Steve's bottom lip like he knew turned him to slush and was rewarded by a growl, tense shoulders and a mouth that wanted to plunder his own in return. He could almost laugh at how predictable Steve was when his buttons were pushed, and there was no where more fun to push them than in a bedroom - which they weren't in right now, but a distraction like this was welcome. 

Until.

Steve slid his hand down Danny's back and he was pulled in closer, with fingers dipping between his ass cheeks in their determination. It made Danny hiss and Steve pulled back like he had been burned. 

"Sorry, 'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, no," Danny stepped back into Steve's space, hands on his neck. "No, don't apologize. I'm still sore, that's all."

Steve turned his head away and shook it. "That's my fault."

"Hush," Danny tried to soothe him. "It's their fault."

"I should've-" Steve got out, but he stopped when Danny sighed and pressed his face into Steve's neck. Arms came around him again and he answered them with his own as they stood together silently.

A throat cleared behind them and they pulled apart to see their nurse standing just inside the door, one eyebrow raised and the quirk of a smile on her lips. "You boys done? 'Cause I've got work to do and I don't have time to stand around watching you being all lovey-dovey all night. As pretty as that is."

*

It was an uneventful night, if you could call it that while awake for the majority of it. 

Danny struggled to get to sleep for a multitude of reasons that he ignored and just said it was because he'd been sleeping so much that his body clock most be thrown off. It had nothing to do with the dark, evil eyes that looked into his soul when he closed his own.

Whatever the hospital had been giving him to help with pain was being rationed now, and they no longer helped give him the oblivion of a dreamless sleep. Or maybe it was to do with the concussion and the stress but now that he'd had decent sleep over the last 24 hours, the concept alluded him. 

He still held onto Steve in the bed. He still got comfort from the strength Steve gave him, the familiar touches, the scents, the soothing voice and presence, but it wasn't enough to still his mind. 

Instead he began going over things again and while Steve's breathing was even and peaceful, he let a few stray tears drop from his eyes in mourning for Fryer. But it wasn't just the loss of the man, but for the monumental fuck up that was the entire operation. From beginning to end, Danny was beginning to realize that he'd been used in a way that he shouldn't have allowed. 

He was the one who had talked Steve into it and maybe the other man had been right all along and they shouldn't have gone in so quickly, so blind. He'd seen an opportunity to help and he'd seized it, unwilling to allow those poor kids, those girls, those boys, to be abused. He suspected that Fryer's mysterious janitorial CI was more than Fryer had let on. Danny hadn't even known he'd existed but had been thankful since he was the man who had raised the alarm that Danny had been in trouble. But the fact that Danny had so easily been ingratiated into Reyes' life, that even upon meeting Olivia Victor it had been discovered that Danny was Reyes' 'type'. It was too coincidental. 

But with Fryer gone, the man couldn't give them answers. And it was unlikely they'd work out who this CI was. Hell, he'd probably made a run for it with HPD closing in on the entire outfit.

Kono had already squeezed Olivia Victor for as much as she knew. And with Moreau not talking, they needed a source of information that would give Danny what he needed - to find and free those who were taken. At least some of them. Those who might still be alive. There had to be someone out there that was involved enough in the Reyes cartel who would have what he needed. He just needed to get out of the hospital and do some digging.

Danny carefully sat up, disentangling himself from Steve's hold and stood. He had given up on sleep entirely now.The light that was seeping through the closed curtains was beginning to look more natural and less like street lamps and a squinting glance at the clock on the wall said it was almost 5am. 

He went to the toilet, checked how he looked in the mirror and smoothed back his hair. He stood straight and glared at himself. They said he'd be able to go home today but as of yet, he hadn't even ventured outside of the hospital room he'd been in for two days and he'd struggled in all that time to be around people. He had work to do and he couldn't do it if he was afraid of his own shadow.

He took cautious steps, trying not to disturb Steve as he made his way to the door. The click was quiet, but he winced as Steve turned his head to the side. He waited a moment, then pulled the door open enough to slip through.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the brighter lights of the corridor. It seemed his room was close to a more open, rounded area where the nurses station stood. At this time of day, the ward was still pretty empty and quiet. The floor was cold under his bare feet and it traveled up his body, making his arms goose bump. He rubbed at them as he made his way down to where his favorite nurse was sitting grumbling at the computer screen in front of her. 

As he got closer she saw him. "Sweetie, what are you doing out of bed, you need something?"

"Uh, no, not really, just stretching my legs, you know?" he flashed her a smile. "Doc said I could go home later."

"I heard. That's good news," she said. "Best part of my job is seeing people going out looking a whole lot better than they did when they came in."

"DANNY!" 

They both turned their heads in the direction of the scream. Danny darted a look at the nurse and then took off, pounding down the corridor even though it was only a matter of ten feet or so.

"Danny! DANNY!" The yells came again. Danny shoved open the door at the same time as Steve yanked it open and they almost collided, Danny feeling the jarring in his sore body as he tensed, bracing himself expecting an impact.

"Steve, what the-"

"Danny, shit-" 

He was pulled in, a hand wrapped around his wrist and suddenly he was being blocked from the world by a brick wall of McGarrett.

Steve looked around them, peering outside of the room, gauging for threats, recognizing that only the nurse was there within their bubble and the rest were looking on from further away.

"Commander, you need to keep you voice down. You'll wake everybody up. Danny?"

"It's okay, I'll take care of it," Danny answered her while pulling on Steve's arm to get him turning to face him. "Hey, Captain Caveman," he pulled harder, forcing Steve towards him as the nurse closed the door to give them privacy. "What's going on?"

Steve wiped his hands over his face. "I woke up and you were gone. You can't do that to me, Danny." He put his hands on Danny's shoulders, trailed them into his neck then stepped further into his space and pressed their foreheads together. "I thought they'd taken you again," he said, quietly, a vulnerability in his voice that betrayed him even in his whisper.

"Nightmare?" Danny asked.

Steve's head moved imperceptibly against Danny's and he took it for a nod. His fingers tangled in the short strands of Steve's hair and pulled him back enough to look more clearly into his eyes. 

"It's okay, babe. You're allowed to be freaked out by a nightmare."

Steve was frustrated. With himself, with the world. "I know it wasn't real. I know you're here and not- I just… I can't shake it." He lifted his hand, saw the tremor and fisted it tightly. Danny could relate, he'd been there, and if he let himself slip back down, could easily be there again. He was just refusing to look into the past. Not at the moment. It didn't need analyzing right now, it needed buried, which Steve should understand, being a SEAL with his brain compartmentalized and his most distracting emotions locked down.

Steve backed away from him, went to the bed and punched into the pillow where it was sitting upright, his hand digging into the material and having it soften the blow as it hit the metal poles of the bed, the whole thing moving and striking the wall with the force of Steve's hit. 

"Steve, this isn't helping," Danny tried as he pulled Steve back and away from the bed. He'd made something beep nearby, though he wasn't sure which monitor it was. He manhandled Steve in front of him, put his hands on his shoulders and shook lightly. "You'll just hurt yourself and we need you on your A game right now."

"Right, sorry, you're right," Steve squeezed his eyes shut - a mechanism to put his thoughts to rest - then opened them again. "You need me to help you and that's more important."

"The doctors are gonna set me free in a couple of hours, we can go home, get some files, start trying to make more sense of this fuck up. Maybe find a way to track the trafficking."

"I already told you, no more case until you get properly cleared. When the docs let you go it's still going to be with the proviso that you get some actual rest and recuperation. I'm going to make sure that happens."

"Don't you get it?" Danny asked, his eyebrows crinkling as he pointed at himself emphatically. "I _**can't**_ rest. I can't get any decent sleep not when I feel like this. I need to find those people, _some_ of them, _**any**_ of them. My mind is whirling over the whole thing and I need to do something about it. That won't happen if I'm sitting on the couch in my underwear watching the jets."

Danny's shoulders slumped, he shook his head sadly and headed for the door, his hand on the knob before Steve spoke again. 

"What are you doing? Where do you think you're going?"

"On a walk. It's what I was doing before you started yelling the place down."

"I don't think so," Steve stamped over, grabbed Danny's shoulder and whirled him back around. "You'll stay right here where I can keep an eye on you."

"It's just a walk. In the hospital, I'm sure it's fine," Danny put his hands up, trying to ease Steve's worry. He understood the guy was still on edge from his dream but he didn't need to take it this far.

"Are you kidding me? There's members of the public out there! Staff who haven't been vetted. Anyone. The whole point of trying to get you home ASAP, is so you can be in a controlled environment and with alarms in case something happens."

"Steve, are you listening to yourself? You're trying to put me under house arrest? You know the whole prostitute thing was a cover, right? I've not actively broken any law that I can think of. What's next? Gonna get me one of those ankle tracking bracelets? CCTV in the house?"

"If I have to," Steve growled, eyes angry but mostly stubborn. "And it's more like witness protection." 

Danny could tell Steve knew what he was doing, had said, and that he wasn't stupid - he could see it was overkill, he just didn't want to admit it. Next thing Danny knew, he'd be expected to believe it was just what SEALs did and he knew that would be bullshit. It was a McGarret trait, pure and simple, a Steve trait born of abandonment and trust issues down mostly to crappy parenting and then lies from those close to him, in the military or his personal life. Or both at once, as Danny had witnessed.

"You need to get your shit together, Steven. You can't molly-coddle me."

"Molly-coddle?" Steve turned his nose up at the word and then there was a knock on the door, derailing their argument.

Steve took hold of Danny's arm, but beckoned whoever it was inside. Danny looked down at the hold, Steve's knuckles pronounced against his skin. It wasn't a painful hold, it wasn't even too tight, but Steve was straining with it, at least in himself, desperate to hold onto Danny, to keep him close, but also desperate not to hurt him.

The Doctor entered, eyeing them up but ignoring everything. The nurses probably filled him in already. "Is everything okay, gentlemen?" he asked. 

"Yes, certainly," Danny looked at Steve then back to the Doctor. "How's it looking from your end, doc? You about ready to free me and my amazing technicolor bruises?"

"Just about," the doctor nodded with a tiny smirk at the reference. "Obviously you'll need to take care of your head and ribs but there's nothing else we can do here, they just need time to heal better, as do your, as you put it, multicolored bruises and abrasions. I have a prescription prepared for you for pain killers. You'll need to get in touch should you feel anything is amiss. And you are being released to your own home rather than to a 72 hour stay in the psychiatric wing on the promise that you'll have daily counseling sessions on an outpatient basis."

"And strict orders to do no work, or anything strenuous, right?" Steve asked, trying to make a point.

The doctor looked between them, saw Danny's slight annoyance at Steve and decided to be tactful. "Strict orders to rest. The body still needs time to heal. It's better done at home in a familiar environment than the sterile walls of a hospital room. I believe any return to work, considering your status with law enforcement, will depend on various evaluations, physical and mental."

Danny shook his hand as he left, thanking him for everything and the doctor reminded him that it would be best if he wasn't back in the hospital too soon, unlike this time. Once he was gone, Danny turned to Steve, who gestured at him. "You see? He just backed me up."

"No he didn't. You backed him into a corner. Now can we hurry up and get home, please?"

"That's the best thing you've said all morning."

*

Despite any expectation to return to their 'conversation', it never seemed to happen. But then, that was just how it was with them - they'd fight, get interrupted, do something else and then just leave things alone. 

It took a few hours to get everything organized at the hospital, pick up prescriptions, make appointments and then finally be allowed out. Arriving home, Danny stumbled in the door and moved straight to the couch, collapsing onto it, letting his head fall back as he breathed a sigh of relief to finally be here. He'd been promised days ago that they would be and only now was it happening. 

"This is good," he said as he toed out of his shoes and let them thump to the ground in front of the couch. He pulled his feet underneath himself, grabbed a cushion to his chest and moved around until his head was on the arm of the sofa.

He reached a hand out for the remote and mumbled his thanks when Steve picked it up from the coffee table and put it in his hand for him. He played about with the channels until it was on a random soccer game and leaned back. 

Steve was standing nearby watching him with a funny look on his face. 

"What?" Danny grumbled. "This is what you wanted isn't it? I'm resting."

Steve finally looked pleased over confused and took a few steps closer, ran his hand over Danny's hair and leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. "It's the best thing for you right now. I'm going to put everything away then make lunch. You hungry?"

"I could eat," Danny responded as Steve bounded up the stairs with their bags. He'd made the executive decision to indulge in some rest for a while, just like what Steve wanted for him and, admittedly, what his body seemed to want to do. But he hoped that in a few hours he could get up and start going through things in the study.

Somehow, the game lulled him into a doze and he woke up a short while later to push down the blanket that had appeared on top of him and he padded into the kitchen to where the smells of cooking were coming from. 

"What're you making?" He asked as the frying pan sizzled. 

"Omelettes," Steve said. "The protein will be good for you."

Danny went to the fridge and opened it up, about to reach for a beer when he caught Steve's dark glare over the top of the door and his hand changed direction instead to the bottle of lemonade. He opened it, chucking the top in the garbage and draining half the bottle quickly. 

He opened the back door. As much as he lamented over how the days were always the same here, always tropical, he'd missed the sunshine over the past few, what, days? The length of time he'd been in and out of the hospital, being in a basement in Colombia, working 'nights' on the streets and sleeping late during the day. It was nice to just feel the warmth on his face when he stepped out onto the lanai.

"Don't go far," Steve warned him. "Keep in sight of the window."

Danny rolled his eyes, recognizing the words of warning as his own from when Grace was over and wanted to go to the water. It frustrated him that Steve was playing parent to him right now, 'taking care of him', when he was old enough and ugly enough to take care of himself, even sick and injured.

He took his usual seat. Steve brought out plates for them and new drinks and they ate companionably while watching the waves and the odd boat out on the horizon. Steve made sure Danny ate a decent amount of his lunch before insisting that he do the clean up himself, letting Danny relax in the sunshine. Danny shrugged as he took another gulp of juice - that was one thing he could get used to: not having to do housework while Steve was feeling generous about it.

When Steve returned, he stood behind Danny's seat and placed his hands on his shoulders. Danny tilted his head back, his hair tickling Steve's chest as he remarked, "You're not wearing a shirt. Why'd you take it off?"

"Thought I'd go for a quick swim. You should join me," Steve coaxed as he rubbed and massaged over Danny's shoulders and neck. "Salt water is great for healing."

Danny chuckled. "That's really weak, babe. I've turned you down when you've offered much better reasons in the past."

Steve smiled at the memory then put on his best puppy dog eyes. "Please? Just this once?"

Danny squinted up into the sun haloing behind Steve's head and relented. "Fine, but just for a little bit. I'm very fragile, you know."

"Fragile? I'm great with fragile. I can handle with care."

"You can- Steve McGarrett you're the kind of guy who would use fragile things as target practice to see them break," he pushed up from the chair and turned towards Steve who pulled him in by the hips.

"Those ones are supposed to break. Besides, I'll have you know I aced that whole 'baby egg' thing in school."

Danny wrinkled his nose. "You boiled it."

"I did not!" Steve sputtered in put on outrage. "McGarrett's don't cheat."

"Cheat? Maybe not, but you'll bend things and work out ways around them if it gets you what you want. Like the thing you do with your eyes that makes me agree to stupidity like getting in the water with you."

"Speaking of, I left trunks for you on the kitchen table. Go get changed and I'll be in the water waiting." He patted Danny's hip lightly to get him moving. Ordinarily, he'd pat his ass and they both knew it and Danny felt a little bit odd as he walked off. 

He knew it was just a small thing, tiny really, but it was noticeable and he could only assume Steve was still feeling like he had to be careful where Danny had been abused, or be gentle with him, like the way he kept laying soft kisses into his hair or temple, right where his concussion headache was situated. It was endearing on the head but frustrating lower down, because a big part of Danny wanted he and Steve to get back to business as normal - he wanted to be fucked through the mattress. He knew he wasn't quite ready for it, but he wanted Steve to want it. And if he did, he wasn't showing it. He knew he was being stupid, it had been a matter of days and his body was a mess. Of course it was just Steve being careful. But that irrational part of his mind wondered if he was undesirable. The part of his head that told him he'd been ruined by Marco and Pedro… that they'd made him trash.

No. He wouldn't listen to that, it was insane. He wouldn't listen to the words of psychos who had done everything they could to use him and put him down. They were the whacked out ones, not him.

He changed quickly, or as quickly as he could with sore muscles. Once he was only in his swim shorts he ran hands over the bruises of his torso, hissed as he touched at tender ribs and kidneys, noticed that he may have lost weight even in such a short time and, at a glance in the small mirror on the wall, still seemed a bit ashen and pale in the sunlight.

When he reached the shoreline, Steve had just returned closer to him, his arms finishing their cutting through the water and he got his legs underneath him and stood, water cascading down over his body. Even with his bruises from the gunshots he'd taken to his vest, he still looked gorgeous. Steve backed up a few steps, the water at waist level as he grinned at where Danny was standing. 

"Come on, Danno," he beckoned, fingers crooking.

Danny shook his head and stepped into the water, arms up to keep balance as the waves began to try and knock him over. As he got closer, Steve took his hand and pulled him in, the water significantly higher on him than the taller man, which drew both their eyes but Steve didn't dare make any short jokes. 

"Hey," Steve breathed, ducking his head a little to catch Danny's eyes. "How's your head?" Wet hands ran over his hair, smoothing it back, flattening it down. 

"Banging," Danny replied honestly. "How's your arm?" He reached up to where Steve had put some saran wrap around his bandaging to keep it as dry as possible.

"Stinging a little where the water seeped in but it's fine," he rested his forearms on Danny's shoulders and gave him a tender look.

"What's with the face?" Danny asked. 

"Nothing," Steve said. "Just… relieved. After these last few days, it's nice to be here. All the frantic worrying… and now we're home, I actually got you in the water… most people would be tucked into the fetal position after what you've been through."

"Trust me, there are times I want nothing more than to do that," Danny scoffed. "But it helps having people, family, to be strong for." He ran wet fingers over Steve's cheek and the other man turned into the warmth, placing his lips on Danny's palm. 

Steve hugged Danny close, the water the only sound as it moved around their bodies, making them sway. They kissed, melting into each other, the heat inside their bodies only tempered by the cool of the ocean water surrounding them.

"Fuck, Danny, I don't want to hurt you," Steve breathed against him as he pulled back. 

"You won't, it's okay."

"No, I'm not risking it. Not yet. The last thing I want is to think that I'm making something those men did to you any worse." He pressed another kiss to Danny's lips. "Even if you are hard to resist."

"Then how about I help you out?" Danny asked, teasing, hand reaching under Steve's shorts and curling around his dick. "If there's one man I very much want to help get off, it's you."

Steve frowned. "Don't," he said, even as his breath hitched when Danny started jerking him off. "Don't think even just a little bit about them and what they did while we're together."

"I'm not," Danny reassured him. "I'm only thinking about you. Your eyes. I want to see you come," he said, hand cupping Steve's face as the other moved furiously over Steve underneath their wet cover, the water lapping against their chests, rippling in response to what was happening below. 

"Fuck," Steve bit his bottom lip. "Fuck, Danny," he said, stilted, close to orgasm.

"Open your eyes, babe, look at me," Danny urged him, and looked deep as Steve held his breath and came, the evidence washing away quickly as Danny slowed and kept his hand on him until he finished. The look in Steve's eyes was intense but full of love and want and need in a pure sense. If he remembered one thing about Pedro it was how his eyes were full of depravity, and the only need was to oppress. Those were the eyes that haunted him and he felt like he was looking for them in everyone around him. 

He hadn't realized until now, but that was why he'd had so much difficulty in meeting people's gaze's - he just didn't want to see that look in anyone else. The only person he'd never expect it from was Steve - he'd trusted him throughout and was proved right again in this moment. 

Maybe they'd have the odd fight, maybe he'd get frustrated by Steve's protectiveness but at the end of the day, the look in his eyes said everything he needed it to - that he loved Danny.

As Steve came back to himself he pouted. "I want to return the favor but if I do it'll be with you in a bed and me being extra careful with your body."

"It's okay," Danny smiled at Steve. He was only a little bit hard and it would fade easily enough. He didn't need Steve to get him off, he'd just come to some kind of epiphany, and all because he jerked the guy off in the ocean. He laughed a little at the ludicrousness of the situation. "You've done plenty."

Not everyone was like the Reyes'. Very few were, even if Danny did see a lot of criminals in his day job. The fact remained that he had Steve. He had Grace. He had his family and friends and as much as he was a glass half empty guy, he could admit that plenty of people either wanted to help or were indifferent, just like always.

No one, nothing, had changed since he'd been taken and woken to the possibilities of just how sick some people were. Steve looked at him exactly the same way he always had.

"How have I done plenty? I haven't done anything," Steve said.

"You just… you look at me like everything's okay. Like what happened doesn't matter in how you see me," Danny shrugged. "You have no idea how much that means."

"Why would it be different? You never asked for it to happen, you did everything that you did to help people. I saw you give yourself over to try to save _me_. Danny, all you've done is made me love you more."

"I love you, too," Danny beamed back at Steve, let the moment hang but cleared his throat and looked around them. "So can I go back to shore now or are you seriously going to make me do some actual swimming."


	23. Chapter 23

Danny couldn't sleep. There were a myriad of reasons why - he'd been resting all day, Steve was holding him on the cusp of too tight, he was hot, there was light coming in from somewhere, the ocean was rolling away and it always took a lot to block that out…

And he just didn't want to. Sleep, that is. His mind was spinning and he needed answers. He could profile and guess at things until the cows came home but it would do him no good unless he could narrow things down.

After their impromptu swim and ocean sex, they'd settled on the couch to watch TV, all the while holding each other, Steve lightly petting Danny as much as he thought he could, being gentle and loving with his body. Danny had been a little bit turned on by the making out, but they never took it any further and Steve never got around to 'returning the favor'. 

They'd made it to bed, Steve trailing Danny up the stairs after locking up and triple checking the doors and windows and the alarm code and they'd climbed onto the mattress in a way that was second nature to them - taking the sides they preferred, lying in the same positions they usually wound up in at some point in the night. Steve took off his watch and set his alarm, Danny made sure their phones were plugged in to charge and the lights went out.

Steve was fast asleep. As much as the man could wake at the slightest danger, he also had been sleeping in a bed with Danny long enough to never perceive his movements as a threat. Slipping his embrace was still difficult as Steve was a snuggler - who knew - and would unconsciously bemoan Danny trying to free himself. After a few attempts, Danny was able to wriggle out; legs first, torso sliding to the edge of the bed and eventually his shoulders slipped down and out. 

He stood, hiked his sweat pants up from where they were riding low on his waist, wiped his brow with the sleeve of his tee and padded out of the room, taking the stairs slowly and quietly and avoiding the creaky second step from the bottom. 

He grabbed Steve's laptop and set it on the desk in the study. Since he knew Steve's passwords it was easy to get into his account and his connection to the office computer. He checked the emails to see what Chin and Kono had been sending over for him to keep up to date on, then he began looking through the files himself, corroborating what the others had decided on but also looking for anything else - anything they hadn't seen or been able to.

He was starting to put together a decent picture of the greater operation as his surroundings began to lighten. It seemed familiar, like he'd seen these patterns before. The people weren't always the same, the faces changing as different criminals were arrested and replaced by the up and comers, but there was certainly something he knew, at least in the back of his mind. He questioned it, unsure if he was remembering wrong and seeing patterns where there weren't any due to his desire to get things moving again. 

He closed the laptop over, leaned back in the chair and wiped over his face. With the sun coming up it meant he'd been at it for at least three hours. He should take a break. 

He went into the kitchen and started the coffee machine. It wasn't long before feet pounding down the stairs grabbed his attention, alerting him that Steve was up and moving around. 

"Hey," he said when Steve's head popped through the open doorway. "Morning."

"Morning," Steve replied. "You weren't in bed. You're never up before me."

"Couldn't sleep," Danny answered as he handed a cup of coffee to Steve. 

"Nightmare?"

"No, never got that far," Danny sighed as he took his own first sip. "Just not tired I guess. Lots of things."

Steve came closer, put his cup down on the table and wrapped an arm around Danny, his other tapping at the side of Danny's head. "Turn it off, okay? You've done everything you can right now, just need to concentrate on yourself for a while."

"Easier said that done," Danny pointed out. Steve should understand it all perfectly well - the need to fix things, the need to finish what was started. But this was the kind of double standard Steve had. He would do the same as Danny if the situation was reversed, but refused to let Danny remotely contemplate it. 

He thought about telling Steve about his suspicions, but he knew he'd be shot down before finishing his first sentence so he kept it to himself. He'd need more before approaching the team with it. He might have more luck with HPD but they'd probably report straight to Steve anyway.

"Hey," Steve grabbed Danny's attention from his wandering thoughts, taking Danny's face in his hands and leaning in for the kiss. It was soft and inviting and Steve hummed into it. "Where'd you go?"

"Sorry, just thinking. Again," he said.

"About him?" Steve asked, worry coated with repressed anger. "Don't. Don't do that, not when…"

Danny reached up for Steve, mirroring his hold on Danny's neck. "Why do you automatically assume that all my thoughts are about one of the Reyes'? Sure, they're on my mind, but it's not just them it's the whole thing. But it seems to me that you're the one solely fixated on them and their… acts."

Steve dropped his hands, took a step back and paced away. "I don't know, Danny. Maybe it's because they fucking raped you!" he spat.

Danny kept calm, recognizing that Steve was working himself up for a fight and Danny didn't have the energy to deal with that right now. Not when he knew there would be more arguments to come. "I don'-"

"No, Danny, no excuses," Steve cut him off. "No matter how you try to reason it away with the job or technicalities of what was done to you, it was rape. Plain and simple. No grey areas. They took you and used you and if I can't get some of that crap out of my head then how the hell are you supposed to be able to, huh?"

"Because I have to? Because you weren't even there until the end so you don't even really know what happened and that's what's actually scaring you? Because I've got other things I want to concentrate on? Because I thought you and I were going to be fine, going to survive…. yesterday you…" Danny bit back emotion. He was not going to allow this to happen. He centered himself before continuing. "I thought we were normal. In the water I... Maybe I spoke too soon. I warned you this would happen and you wouldn't listen."

"Warned me about what?"

"That you'd feel different about everything after a while."

"This is about me wanting to marry you now?" Steve asked, confused by the turn in the conversation. "That's not changed, that'll never change, Danny. I just don't understand how you can try and act so normal after what happened. You should be all over the place, you should be, I dunno, crying or hiding or something. How you can get over it so quickly?"

"I'm not over it. Okay? Of course I'm not. But I'm coping in my own way and I'd appreciate some support in that. Not just your own expectation of how I should be falling into your arms and demanding you never let go. You are not my bad romance novel hero!" He shook his head, threw the cooling cup of coffee into the sink and stormed past Steve, shoulders banging deliberately as he went through the door to the living room. "Get over yourself!"

"I'm just trying to help!" Steve shouted after him. "Just trying to be here for you!"

"How about you sort your own problems out before you try fixing everyone else's!"

*

Despite the sun shining outside the house, the inside had turned frosty. Danny had stomped up the stairs and dressed in peace before making his way back down to the kitchen; his stomach protesting that it really was ready for food. On the way down the stairs he passed Steve again and neither man was very pleasant to the other, both needing time to cool down. 

When Steve returned it was to find Danny sitting on the couch, coffee cup empty on the table in front of him and taking the last few bites of toast while he mindlessly watched the morning news. 

"That was Chin," Steve commented into the thick air around them, gesturing to the phone in his hand. 

"I didn't hear it ring," Danny said.

"It was upstairs, I didn't think you had just… he was wondering if I was going in today."

"I hope you told him yes," Danny glanced up at him. His attention was fully on Steve, but he kept his eyes on the screen.

"You wanting rid of me?" Steve attempted to keep it light as he carefully sat next to Danny. 

"No, but I do want you to stop smothering me. Stop hanging around waiting for some kind of mental breakdown and go get on with things."

"I'm not trying to- look, I just want to be here for you. And I want to help you get back to normal."

Danny nodded along then took over the line of thought, "Which I'll be able to do once the case is actually closed. Do me a favor. Go to work. Get things done. That's how you can help me out."

"I suppose working is normal," Steve supplied. 

"There you go," Danny nodded, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "I'm fine on my own. I've got plenty of things to get on with and I've got that stupid therapy appointment later."

"Of course," Steve remembered. "I can swing by and pick you up. I'm sure the others won't mind me taking the time."

"You don't have to-"

"I'll come by. Pick you up," Steve insisted and Danny gave up on it. They were headed to a compromise with Steve going to work, he didn't want to risk what they were accomplishing so he let it lie. Besides, he had hours before the appointment.

"Okay."

Steve leaned forward, hesitated for a moment unsure of his welcome, but decided that if they were shooting for normal, he should continue, and he placed a chaste kiss on Danny's lips before sitting back. "I'm going to get organized."

"Okay," Danny said again. 

Danny stayed where he was while Steve puttered about the place until finally, badge and gun on the hip of his usual cargo pants, he was ready to leave. Steve paused in the door, waiting for Danny to tell him not to go but it didn't happen. Instead he repeated his insistence that if he was needed, he'd be right back and that he'd see him before his appointment, then he was out the door. 

Danny waited. For some reason he didn't trust that Steve would actually go. But after five minutes he looked out the window to see no sign of the Silverado. 

He made his way back into the study, onto the laptop still sitting there and checked over the things he'd seen before in the files he'd downloaded and he still thought the same thing. All morning he'd been unable to come up with anything else. He didn't exactly want to do what he was thinking, and he knew Steve would definitely not like it, but he felt he had little other choice but to follow the lead. Even there.

He felt naked leaving the house without his gun or badge. His wallet and keys were the only things weighing down his pants as he made his way to the Camaro, watching out around himself just in case.

By the time he arrived at Halawa he was admittedly questioning whether this was a good idea or not. But he wasn't backing down.

He waited in the small room; general prison noises still audible around him and he looked up when the door opened, revealing the scruffy man in his orange jump suit, shuffling in being led in by the guard. His face was quite the picture for all of a split second before a cocky grin took its place. 

He sat opposite Danny, his cuffed hands being locked into place on the table. He settled, his eyes on Danny and not wavering as he made himself look as comfortable as possible. "Well, this is an unexpected surprise."

"Frank," Danny greeted him. "How's prison treating you?"

"I make do." He licked his lips. "It could always be better. I'm sure you're just the cop to help me improve it."

"I'm not here to cut you any deals, Delano."

"Who said anything about a deal? I don't need any time off my sentence or better digs. Could use a few conjugal visits though," he leered, giving Danny nothing more than an urge to shudder. "Take off your clothes for me right now and I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"Not gonna happen, buddy," Danny laughed with a shake of his head.

"You so sure about that? I heard differently."

"And what did you hear?" Danny asked, indulging the man. 

"I hear you got cosy with both the Reyes cousins. Heard you were slutting it up for them big time."

Danny bit his tongue, his fist tightening on the table in full view of Delano who smirked, realizing he was getting to Danny, who cleared his throat. "Then I'm sure you've also heard about just how dead the two of them are."

"I did. I did hear that. No one's talking about who put them down but I've got a few ideas. Ones that seem to be getting proved true."

"You hear a lot of things, Delano. I find that interesting."

"Not difficult when your Navy SEAL boyfriend is running around arresting a whole bunch of people associated with those two. Word gets about. If they knew you were meeting with me they'd be very interested in finding out why."

"Getting back on point. I'm here for information."

"And like I said. Get naked and bend over this table for me and maybe I'll answer your questions."

Danny stood and made his way around the table, keeping himself composed as he perched on the edge of it right beside, but just out of reach, of Delano's cuffed hands. "Here's the thing, Frank," he said in a low voice. "You and everyone else might just think I was an undercover cop, just biding my time in your bar until I could worm my way into your pants, maybe get you caught saying something on tape, but there's much more to it. I learned _**everything**_. I know exactly how your whole operation worked. Every single piece of intel that HPD had on you from the very beginning, I knew _all of it_. And then I got in. I got to know the people on the bottom and they told me all sorts of interesting things, and I worked my way up and I found out even more. I know who you employed and to do what. I know your trade routes, I know the money trails, I know who you talked to, I know who you owned."

"I own you, remember," Delano warned, beginning to shuffle uncomfortably over where Danny was going with this. 

"You wish," Danny growled before yanking Delano's head back by his hair and standing over him. "You want everyone to think you sold that building to Reyes? That you needed the money and began to liquidate what you could? I know that's all lies."

"And how would you know a thing like that? I'm in prison. What can I do from here?"

"I checked you visitor records. I know Marco came here, albeit under an alias. Here's what I'm thinking Frank. You didn't sell anything to Marco Reyes, you went into partnership with him. Because I've been looking at everything we've got on Reyes on this Island and it's identical to what we had on you. Which is amazing for such an unknown person to swoop in and know all that so quickly. Sure, things have changed hands all over the place, but the locations, the drop points, the ships, the street walkers, the money. It's all the same. He didn't take over. I know you too well, you wouldn't let that happen." He shoved Delano's head forward again and paced away.

"Not hearing a question anywhere in all of that," Delano said.

Danny turned back to him. "Marco Reyes and his cousin. Did you know who they were when you got into bed with them?"

"Not at first, but they brought me a tempting offer. I couldn't pass it up. And for the record, I have no idea what they're like in bed. Unlike you," Delano laughed. Danny came up behind him, grabbed the back of his head and slammed it down on the table in front of him. It shut Delano up but only briefly before he sat back, nose bloody from the bang. He sniffed and just continued trying to be as lewd as possible to get more of a rise out of Danny. 

Danny leaned his fists on the table. "They weren't as careful as you were, Frank. They sold whoever they could get their hands on and they did it indiscriminately. And I want to find those people."

"And you think I know where they are."

"That, or you know how they were taken out. You know who they'd have been sold to. You'd know the kind of 'collectors' who are out there."

"Maybe you should ask Wo Fat. He was the one taking care of my little cop whore problem, after all. He was my middle man to the buyers."

"Except Wo Fat was killed in a prison brawl two years ago."

"Shame. Guess you're out of luck."

"You'd know who replaced him. It's still your business even if not many people know that it is."

"I always liked you, Danny. You're smart, tenacious. You even made me a lot of money, so I might do you a solid."

"A name, Delano. Give me the name."

"Touch my dick and I'll tell you," Frank goaded him. 

Danny stalked back to the desk, reached down and grabbed hard into Delano's cock, fingers digging in painfully, making the other man hiss and do his best not to squirm in pain as Danny held on tight. 

"That's it, right there," Delano laughed. "Knew you'd do the kinky stuff eventually."

Danny released his grip and stood back. "The name!"

"Restrepo."

"Colombian?" Danny asked with a frown. "Reyes brought in his own man."

"Reyes has a lot of muscle. When Wo Fat went down, a punk upstart called Sang Min attempted to take over his spot but Reyes outnumbered him. Took it away from him, framed him and got him banged up in here with me. I was then in the perfect position to get everything Sang Min knew about Wo Fat's enterprise and hand it over to Restrepo, who took over the uh, import/export."

"First name."

"Luis," Delano said then smiled. "Can't miss the guy. Got a big ass scar right down the middle of his face."

Danny frowned. "Scar?"

"You know him," Delano could tell. "Well, since Reyes had to get you out of the country, he'd need help and Restrepo would be the one to do it. Was pretty much Reyes' right hand man after his cousin Pedro. Who was always a bit cuckoo if you ask me. Nasty fellow."

Danny took a moment. Scar was the guy he needed to talk to? They had him in custody already. He'd just assumed the guy was a flunky, nothing more, but it turned out he was more important to the operation than anyone realized. He'd look the guy's jacket up, find out where to apply the pressure and get him to break and then maybe everything could be over. Maybe it could be as simple as that.

Danny moved to the door, signaling the guard that he was done. 

"Hey, Danny," Delano stopped him. "When Wo Fat… 'expired'? That contract I traded to him reverted back to me. That means I still own your ass. And when I get out of here, I'm going to collect."

"Frank, you're serving life. You're never getting out of here."

"Sure. Of course, how silly of me," Delano answered, a little too light and confident for Danny's taste but he wasn't going to dwell on that right now. He had to finish everything else first.

*

Danny was getting signed out, putting his keys in his pocket when he heard the bustle and commotion coming from the main door. 

"Sir, you can't just go in there, you need to check your weapon!"

"There's no time, just let me through, I'm Five-0!"

"That doesn't matter."

"You-" Steve cut off when Danny pushed through the door and into his line of sight. "Danny."

"Steve," Danny frowned seeing the panic across Steve's face turn to relief. Then in an instant, he was angry. 

"What the hell, Danny!"

"Thanks, Travis," Danny patted the guard on his shoulder, letting him know everything would be okay. He seemed to realize that Steve was there for Danny and not to go wild on some inmate's ass and he backed down. 

"No problem, Williams. Take it outside, huh?" 

Danny shook his head at Steve, embarrassed about the scene being caused and he moved around him, heading for the exit. He didn't get far into the sun and just into the sight of Chin sitting on the hood of the Camaro when Steve whirled him around. 

"Are you insane?" Steve asked. 

"I had a lead. I followed it," Danny responded. 

"And how did you get that lead? Chin noticed the files that were downloaded onto my home computer in the middle of the night. You hacked my account?!"

"Hacked is a strong word," Danny reasoned. "I mean, if you're going to use 'Danno' followed by Grace's birthday then it's pretty easy to get in."

Steve all but growled in frustration, hands clenching at his sides. "You hacked my account. You downloaded documents for a case you are _**not**_ supposed to be working on and then you snuck out of the house to follow some kind of lead and investigated without any back up!"

Danny snorted, and it didn't go unnoticed by Steve. 

"Do you realize how dangerous that is? Do you even care?"

"Of course I care! But when you're being unreasonable then I'm left with little choice than to work this on my own," Danny shot back, finger jabbing into Steve's chest.

"Unreasonable?" Steve spat. "I'm protecting you!"

"Well, you're doing a piss poor job of it, considering!" Danny angrily vented at Steve, realizing too late the implications of his words. He didn't even know where they came from, they just fell out of his mouth and then it was too late to take them back, though part of him wasn't even sure he wanted to. 

Steve seemed taken aback, not sure what to make of it at first, but then his face turned resolute. "Well, now _you're_ leaving _me_ no choice, Danny. You're out."

"I'm 'out'?" Danny asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion and anger. 

"Of Five-0. You're done. And don't think your work-arounds will do any good. We'll change the codes and the passwords."

"Will you at least allow me into my office to get my stuff? Chaperoned, of course. Just in case," Danny threw back at him. 

"Danny." Steve warned. 

"Shove it up your ass, Steven," Danny turned and began walking to his car. "If that's how you want to play this, then fine."

"Danny?" Chin asked as he got nearer, concern on the other man's face evident. "Give him some time, he's just angry. He doesn't mean it."

"Whether he means it or not doesn't matter," Danny said, a hand touching Chin's elbow as he passed. "If he's got no faith in me, then I don't even want to be his partner."


	24. Chapter 24

Danny was tempted to disable the tracker on his car. He knew that was how Steve would have known he was at Halawa. That or his phone's GPS, anyway. But there was still a need to be careful, a need to be safe and he knew that those tracking devices were there for a reason that he couldn't dispute. 

He pulled up outside Fryer's precinct and got his phone out, sending a quick text to Chin demanding that he be told the moment Steve tried tracking him so that he had warning. Really, it was so he might be able to avoid the man, and it likely came across that way without needing to read between any lines. There was no point in denying that was his aim. 

He looked around when he entered, remembering his old precinct easily despite not spending a huge amount of time there because of his undercover work and the fact that he didn't work HPD Vice for long between moving to Hawaii and being cajoled into five-0. He greeted the desk clerk who remembered him and buzzed him on through without a second thought.

He headed straight to the room Fryer used as a hub for his team, assuming it would still be used now even though Fryer had been working it as a human trafficking task force as opposed to regular Vice operations. He was right, and was met by Detectives Lona and Park who shook his hand and actually welcomed him in when he said he might have new information.

"We heard rumors McGarrett wasn't letting you near this thing," Park said as they all sat.

"Police bullpens always were a warren of gossip," Danny shook his head. "You know how McGarrett is when anyone on his team is injured," Danny pointed out, keeping it neutral, not allowing his relationship with Steve to be the factor at play. And it was true. Steve always got protective of his team and most of HPD figured he was bat shit crazy anyway. They relied on Danny to diffuse situations on more than one occasion. 

"So what have you got? Remember something else you heard or…?" Lona asked. 

"I went to Halawa earlier," Danny started and noticed the glance Lona and Park shared. "I took a look at what you had put together on the Reyes' operation from what you got out of various interrogations. It struck me as familiar. I was the asset on bringing down Frank Delano. I knew his operation better than anyone else here and they matched, so I went to talk to Frank about it."

"And he talked to you?" Lona asked, surprised. 

"I'm certainly not his favorite person considering everything, but I _**was**_ able to get something from him. He never sold up to Reyes, they were in it together. Frank passed on what he had from Wo Fat's old trafficking routes to a guy called Luis Restrepo." Danny reached for the dockets on the table that the detectives had clearly been going over and over with a fine tooth comb. He found the right one of Restrepo and opened it, putting it in front of them. "Can't miss him with that scar on his face. And Steve gave him a hell of a bloody nose when he took him down at the docks."

"He's low-level. We talked to him already, he barely even ranked," Park said back. "Are you sure Delano wasn't just feeding you bullshit in revenge?"

"I did consider it, but one of the kids who disappeared - one that I knew - her street name was Coco, she used to hang with another two girls and they mentioned to me that Coco was last seen with Restrepo. They thought maybe he'd used her and killed her but maybe all he'd been doing was picking her up to take her to a sale."

"Could be, but if that's the case, he's a tough nut to crack. And convincing enough as a nobody to have fooled all of us. Getting credible information from him to find the buyers, especially those overseas, is going to be difficult."

"I agree, but I think I have an idea how to do it, if I-"

"Williams!" the call came from a booming voice outside the office and the door opened to reveal the precinct chief, Ben Nahua, not looking best pleased. Danny grimaced. He was not in the mood to be told by yet another person that he should go home and forget about things. "Why the hell am I fielding angry phone calls from the leader of Five-0?"

"I'm sorry, sir. Steve is… he's-" Danny didn't really know how to describe him. 

"I thought we let you stay over there because your influence seemed to be working on him. What's he been doing? Storing all the insanity up and letting it burst out in one go?"

Danny almost laughed at the idea. "The case is getting to him, sir. I'll deal with him later."

"Listen, Danny. He's mouthing off at me saying that if you came here I'm to send you home or to a hospital or some such. That you're not supposed to be working this case. Now, I'm fine with doing that if there's good reason so you tell me, what are you doing here?"

Danny licked his lips and gritted his teeth. "I have a new lead, it's important. Steve's being too pigheaded to accept my help in solving this thing and I'm really hoping that you and this team won't act in the same way. We lost Fryer, there's been four cops total admitted to hospital over this, myself included and I don't want any of that to have been in vain."

The chief crossed his arms. "Are you telling me that this is all because you and your boyfriend had an argument?" 

Danny sighed, of course that was the only part of it that anyone was paying attention to. "Yes, but he's being an asshole-"

"Something we agree on," Nahua interrupted to agree with him. 

"Wouldn't you rather that this team gets credited with the solve over Five-0?"

" _ **You're**_ five-0," Lona threw in, reminding him why it looked strange that Danny would be so determined to help them here and not with the people he trusted the most. 

"Not anymore, Steve fired me for my unauthorized trip to Halawa this morning. Ignoring the fact that a) I didn't need his permission to follow a lead and b) it got us what might help break this case wide open," Danny turned to take in all three of them in the room. "This is a _human trafficking_ task force. I'm coming to you with solid intel on _human trafficking_. Turning that down would be gross negligence and bad police work, whether I'm supposed to be on leave or not." He looked around them, seeing determined enough looks in their eyes to know they would welcome the help to nail these sons of bitches to the wall.

"So what's your idea?" Park asked. 

"Reach out to the Colombians. I figure they owe me considering they were unaware of the trafficking going on in their own backyard that we blew the lid on. We get everything they can find on Restrepo and turn it on him. Anything he might value is a tool that we can use."

"That sounds like something McGarrett might do."

Danny shrugged. "Sometimes his methods do actually work."

"Okay, let's do it," the chief patted Danny's shoulder. "I'll just hit ignore on the calls coming from Five-0 for a little while."

There was a stomping down the corridor beside them, large and heavy set and accompanied by the sound of someone swearing and muttering to themselves. That was when Lou Grover appeared in the doorway, phone in hand, addressing the chief.

"I got McGarrett riding me about looking out for-" he spotted Danny in the room. "Well, for you, sunshine. I ain't got time for his whiny ass. Why the hell is he calling me and not you?"

"Lover's quarrel," Lona made a pointed gesture and Danny couldn't be bothered to correct him. 

"Uh-huh," Lou looked down his nose at Danny, not entirely buying it regardless of how true it might be or how expected it was as a response. "Shouldn't you be in a hospital? You look like a skittle right now. All the colors of the rainbow," he waved his hand to indicated Danny's body.

"I'm doing a lot better, Lou, thanks for the uh, the analogy. That was a good one."

"You're welcome. Just keep me out of all of this. I've got plenty to do without this kind of headache."

*

Danny sat back in his chair and stretched his arms to the side. It had been about two hours of research between him and the police in Colombia. Those he had spoken to had been sympathetic to what had happened to him. The names he had on reports from Chin were just that - names. He had no recollection of meeting them but it turned out that Five-0 had done some thorough work before storming that gambling den to find Danny.

Keen to show international cooperation and a desire to finish off one of the largest operating cartels in their country, the Colombians were hard at work helping out and were finding everything they could about Restrepo or anyone else closely linked to him. 

Danny checked the time. "Shit, I gotta go," he said, getting to his feet quickly, his ribs twanging with the movement as they continued to heal.

"Hot date?" Lona asked.

"They've been arguing, remember?" Park reminded his partner. "Unless he's off for the make up sex or something."

"Very funny, guys," Danny rolled his eyes. "I've got an appointment with the department shrink. It's the only way they'll let me come back to work properly. Hell, agreeing to that crap is the only reason they let me out the hospital."

"Have fun talking about your feelings then," Lona smiled at him. "We'll call if we get anything solid."

"Thanks," Danny shook their hands and was out the door, fumbling for the keys in his pocket when there was the call of his name from the door of the chief's office.

"You got two minutes?" Nahua asked.

"I, uh," Danny gestured to the door, then relented. "Sure, Captain."

He was ushered in and told to sit, while Nahua took his place at his desk. "Listen, I did some digging, and McGarrett may be a jackass at times but he's got a point right now. Rules say you're not supposed to be working until you pass a physical and get cleared by the psychiatrists. Now I know you're determined, and I know you're bringing something solid to the table, but I could be in ten different types of shit if I let you in on this thing."

Danny sighed. It was ridiculous. Not just the rules, though he was well aware he'd be enforcing them on anyone else, for their safety and everyone else's. He was perfectly cognizant of his double standard. But at the same time, it was ridiculous the lengths Steve was going to. He had his grimy hands in everything Danny related, obvious or not, and it was that stifling that made Danny react more in defense and determination than if Steve had just let things lie.

"Sir, I get it, but like you said, I've got knowledge vital to the case. We can't ignore that."

"And I gotta admit, sometimes it's good to bring McGarrett down a peg or two. Let him know he's not the boss of everything law enforcement on this Island. So that's why I'm not going to tell you to go home. I can just about get away with saying you're consulting on this. That means paper trails, staying in the precinct and running things by me and the team. It also means you stay out of the interrogation room when the time comes. Think you can handle that?"

"Well, it's a better offer than I got from Five-0," Danny answered.

"Speaking of that," Nahua reached into his desk drawer and pulled out an HPD badge, sliding it across the table. Danny was confused.

"I thought we just said 'consultant'. They don't usually get badges."

"It'll be safer for you to hold onto that. But I want you to consider it more permanently."

"Sir?" Danny ran his fingers over the ridges of the badge.

"You just said Five-0 gave you a bum deal. Here's a better one. There's an empty spot leading the task force here, now that we've lost Fryer."

"You're offering me a job?"

"Think about it," Nahua said. "Don't need to give me an answer right now. After all, you're on sick leave and only consulting. But if you're at a loose end, then maybe it's time to come home to Vice. You've got the experience in the department from all angles, you've done plenty of work in a major crimes task force. Maybe it's time to step up and take charge of one of your own."

*

He'd met this Shrink before. She'd seemed pleasant enough and had carried out his evaluations since he got to Honolulu. He'd been worried that she'd want him to tell his story again, but everything was in his own reports, the ones from Five-0, the hospital psychiatrist reports, the doctors' reports… there was really no need. 

She'd agreed, and said she'd much rather know what was happening now, than before. Rather know how he felt than just getting some blow by blow account.

By the end of the session, he realized he'd talked much more about Steve than anyone else and had barely mentioned Marco or Pedro Reyes. Certainly not by name and talked more freely about the 'effects of what was done to him' than anything else.

Leaving, he berated himself for being so hung up on Steve to not be able to shut up about him. So much so that she'd been concerned about their relationship. She didn't say it, but Danny got that impression.

He stopped short when he saw the Silverado parked next to the Camaro. Steve was just getting out when he'd seen Danny coming and had his arms crossed. Considering how mad Danny was at himself for not getting Steve off his mind, he was in no mood to see him right this second and he tamped down as best as possible on his anger. 

"I swung by the house to pick you up like I promised. You weren't there," Steve started, passive aggressively. 

Danny shook his head. "And you already knew that, numbskull. I'm well aware that you were tracking me at the precinct. I know you called a bunch of people trying to order them about."

"I just want what's best for you."

"But you're railroading over what _I_ think is best for me."

"I'm doing exactly what you would do if the situation was reversed," Steve snapped back, brow furrowed. "Only with less yelling!"

Danny got up in Steve's face a finger jabbing at his chest. "And that's where you're wrong, buddy. If you wanted to do something stupid when you shouldn't, I'd tell you it was stupid and sure, I'd yell at you about it. I'd tell you why it was dumb and I'd try and make you see reason. And then you'd turn around and explain your side and I'd know how important it was to you and you know what I'd do next? _I'd back down_. And I would be by your side through the rest of it because THAT'S WHAT PARTNERS DO!" Danny turned his back on Steve, walked away a few steps and breathed.

"They'd let each other walk into a bad situation? After everything that's happened you really think you'd let your partner stay involved?!"

Danny whirled back on him. "Yes! Because I'd know there was no stopping you and I'd rather be by your side to keep an eye on you than let you walk off alone! _**Partners**_ , Steve. The whole point is that they stand side by side. If it were reversed? I'd be there to catch you if you fall. Or I'd fall right along with you. To me there's no other option. But for you? You'd rather lock me up for my own good, prevent me from doing anything." Danny held his hands out in front of himself. "Feel like finishing it off with some chains?"

Steve flinched and looked away, internally struggling and incensed that Danny would allude to being tied up. Steve had seen him in that basement, found him. He knew what that looked like. Danny felt a frisson of guilt, but he had a head of steam and that pushed all other thoughts aside. "Danny, don't," Steve warned.

"Fuck you, Steven," Danny kept going. "I have been by your side for over three years now and I have backed you up in everything. The least you can do is return the favor."

"It's not that simple," Steve argued. "If I can protect you from something then I'm going to do it. If you have a bullet flying at you then you can be damned sure I'm stepping in front of you. I fucked up on this one, and you got taken away from me when I should have been there to stop it. I _refuse_ to let that happen again!"

"By wrapping me up in cotton wool?!"

"Two days ago you were so frightened of the world that you couldn't let go of me! The only thing that remotely calmed you down was cradling you in my arms. _**Two days**_ , Danny! And now you're visiting raping scumbags in prison? I watched the recording of your interrogation of Delano, I know what he said to you. None of this is okay, Danny. You cannot jump back into the world two, three, four days after going through what you did. Don't you see?"

"Still waiting on that mental breakdown, huh?" Danny snorted. "Well, maybe some of us cope better than others when in certain situations."

"Or maybe you're in denial. You can't just suppress things and think they're fixed, it doesn't work that way."

"Do not start trying to be my shrink, Steven. I have one of those. And I've just sat for an hour in there, _an hour_ , talking about how much you've been pissing me off. Not Reyes, _you_. Maybe you should think about that," Danny walked around to the drivers' side of his car. 

"What are you- where are you going?"

"I'm expecting an update on the case, I need to go."

"You-? From who!?" Steve demanded.

"Colombia."

"From _**where**_?!"

"You heard me. Five-0 may be floundering on this one, but my task force isn't."

" _ **Your**_ task force?" The confused look on Steve's face gave Danny a great amount of pleasure. Hurting Steve right now, being angry at him, blaming him, it was somehow cathartic and he couldn't explain it. Getting him off guard - it didn't happen often. 

He controlled a smug grin. "And if you're expecting to see me at home tonight, you can think again. I'll find somewhere else," he slammed the door behind him, his eyes glancing at the glove compartment that was holding his HPD badge and he felt a surge of pride at the thought of saying yes to the job. But also because Steve would be pissed about it despite firing him.

Steve slammed his hand against the window. "Danny, don't you dare."

He flipped him the bird and pressed his foot on the gas, forcing Steve to stand back out of the way.

Danny's heart was beating out of his chest. There had been some kind of rush in making Steve suffer. Transferring it. It made him feel like… like he wasn't the only one feeling the way he did; like he was trash, low, stepped on... puffing out his chest because his fear was so great. 

He bit his tongue, jutted out his jaw and refused to let the mist in his eyes fall as he concentrated on controlling his breathing. He shook out his hands to stop the tremors in them. Pent up, nervous energy had taken control and the adrenaline was still rushing through him. It was like coming down from a drug, and he didn't like it.

He slapped his hand on the steering wheel. And then again. And again.

Goddamnnit.


	25. Chapter 25

He took the long way back to the precinct and stayed sitting inside his car until he felt that his thoughts were collected enough to get out. He grabbed the HPD badge from the glove compartment and popped it in his pocket. He couldn't officially wear it yet, but it was nice to feel it there, thinking his input was at least appreciated somewhere.

He kept fisting and releasing his fingers as he walked in, making his way back to the room he'd left less than two hours before.

"Anything?" he asked as he entered, Lona and Park still at work.

Park shoved a file across the desk at Danny, who opened it up to look while Lona explained further. "Think so. Turns out Restrepo has a wife and kid. While they were investigating the Reyes' properties, it looks like the guy was using two. Colombian police went to investigate. One of them had his wife and kid. The other housed a young man Restrepo had been paying to keep an eye on the place. Nothing sat right, so they searched and found three young women locked up in the basement. Must be the cartel's favorite way of dealing with their victims," he said, and Danny ignored the comparison to himself.

"And the family don't know?"

Park shook his head. "All the Colombians told them was he was under arrest in the USA. Nothing specific yet. Whether they know about the sex slaves, we don't know, but I'd doubt it. At least the kid anyway. It's only six years old."

"We're bringing him in to interrogation?"

"He's on his way in from Halawa. Remember, Williams - you stay behind the mirror."

"Yeah, I got it," Danny sighed, knowing he'd have to play by some rules, even if he was itching to get the guy by his neck and wring it until he spilled his guts.

When they got the word Restrepo had arrived, they walked together down the corridor until they needed to split. Lona and Park in to see Restrepo, while Danny took the door into the viewing area. The minute he looked through the one way glass, his heartbeat picked up. He could hear it in his ears and it could almost distract him from what he was seeing.

An anger swelled up inside him and he did everything he could to control it. Seeing that man, that monster behind the glass. The scar on his face instantly recognizable as he sat relaxed, like he had nothing to fear, nothing to be remorseful about.

Captain Nahua was already there, standing to the side. "Williams. You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," he replied absently. 

"If he knows something, we'll get it from him," he was reassured. He believed it, but he wanted it to hurry up. It was like he understood now how Steve felt sometimes when he hung people off roofs, because he didn't want to wait for the person to break enough, to be scared enough to tell the truth and give them what they needed. Danny was always an advocate for getting in their heads, playing it smart. Right now, the McGarrett method of skull cracking seemed infinitely more appealing.

Nahua pressed the button on the wall to let them hear what was going on inside; Lona and Park mirroring each other on either side of the table, with Restrepo opposite them in the middle. 

"I told you before. I know nothing," Restrepo said.

"And we know that Reyes placed more trust in you than you let on. We've got it on good authority that you ran their exports for them."

Restrepo snorted at the accusation. "Lies."

"So you're still going to sit there and tell us that you have no idea where those people got shipped out to? Who bought them?"

Restrepo shrugged and looked around himself.

"Both the Reyes' are dead. You've got no one to work for. Why not just tell us? Maybe you don't serve as long a sentence. Maybe get to go home to Colombia."

"Marco and Pedro may be dead, but I can still work. There are others, there's always others. I won't ruin my reputation by talking to the cops. You get nothing from me. Not even their favorite breakfast cereal."

"You won't be doing any work from prison, not for a long time."

Restrepo gave a laugh. "Better than being beat for being a snitch. Besides, I tell you, I know nothing. Just grunt work."

"We don't believe you."

Restrepo hit his hand on the table then leaned forward. "Who is this _puto_ who says I know something, eh? _Estupido._ "

Danny flinched at the use of certain Spanish words coming from Restrepo's mouth. He knew what they meant and they caused the same reaction in him as the word 'rape' did. He hated to hear them and hated them more in context to himself. Marco had called him _puto_ , as well as whore. Pedro had taken it even further.

The man in there… Steve should have killed him. Should have banged his head on the concrete as hard as he did with Pedro. Should have bloodied his nose much more. Danny itched to finish the job, to go in there and rip the bandages from the guy's nose and sink his own fist into it. Use his hands to widen the man's jaw until it broke from its hinges. Gouge his eyes out. God, he wanted to hurt him so much. He didn't just want him dead, he wanted him suffering.

And it scared him. The images in his brain. They terrified him because he'd never thought he could feel so much hate towards a person. More than one person. But Scar was the only one left who truly knew what had happened to him. That had been someone who witnessed it up close and personal and thought it was okay. Aside from Steve, of course. He had witnessed it, too. Watched as Pedro enjoyed himself.

"Williams?" Nahua asked, interrupting his thoughts. 

"I'm fine," Danny responded absently, only belatedly noticing how he was pushing the fist of one hand into the palm of the other.

"Maybe you should step outside."

"Maybe I should help them."

"Lona and Park are good cops. They're good at getting into the heads of guys like this. You just gotta give them time."

"Why aren't they using what we have?"

"They will."

"It's too slow," Danny moaned, but he stayed where he was, rooted to the spot, one knee agitatedly moving as the interrogation continued.

"What about your family? Do they know who you really are? What you really do?"

"I work, I send them money, I put food on the table," Restrepo answered. "Just like any other man."

"Your son is barely six years old. Probably has no concept of slavery. Certainly not of prostitution."

Restrepo laughed. "You think they won't find out now? I am here, in American prison. There is no hiding the charges against me. You cannot hold that over my head to get me to talk about things. I value my own life over the innocence of my boy."

"Fine then, we'll talk to them. Maybe they know something after all. Maybe they always knew you had those girls locked up. Maybe the whole family works for the cartel. I'm sure enjoying the hospitality of the Colombian authorities will be a pleasure for your wife. And your son will surely enjoy his stay in a state sponsored home."

Restrepo flinched. Danny saw it. For just a moment his nonchalance broke, his throw away jibes and seeming lack of care faltered. But the fact that he could attempt to be cruel to his own child, one so young, to expose the child to that life. It made Danny's blood boil and he knew in that instant that only the biggest of threats would get Restrepo talking.

He threw the door open and was heading in next door before Nahau could stop him. He stormed in, slamming a hand on the table. "Tell us everything, you sick son of a bitch, I will break you!"

Park and Lona each grabbed hold of Danny and began pulling him back. Restrepo's surprise and shock at Danny's entrance, his fear, it all dissipated behind a wall of bravado when he thought he was safe. "Ah, the little whore survived, eh?"

Danny pushed back against the hold of the other detectives as they tried to shove him back out of the room. "I swear to God, I will take your son and sell him into the same life you put those innocents into."

"You're _loco_ , man! You go crazy when they don't let you have no dick, huh? You need the _leche_!" He laughed as he watched Danny pushed outside while he struggled against the hold, determined to get to Scar, to strangle him. 

Nahua had him up against a wall, forearm pressed over his collarbone to keep him in place. "Can it, Williams! Enough!"

"Sir, he-"

"Is provoking you, now shut up!" He finally let go of Danny, who stayed perfectly still as he took in the looks on the men around him. Fuck, he really had gone too far. He looked down to gather himself.

"I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again. I'm just frustrated."

Nahua nodded, but his face was blank. No anger, but certainly not happy. "Time for you to go home."

"But, sir-"

"You need to cool down. It's been a long day. I'll gloss over this incident as much as I can, but if you come in here tomorrow with this angry, pissed-off-at-the-world attitude then you'll be riding a desk _if you're lucky_. This isn't Five-0, we don't go beating up on suspects in interrogation. You need to get used to that if you want to make it back here doing regular police work again."

"Sir, I need to be on this case."

"And I'm not taking you off it. Technically, you're not on it anyway, only consulting. I'm doing you a favor, but there's only so much leeway I can give you before McGarrett is proved right in his trying to keep you clear of it. So go home. Get some sleep. Come back in the morning in a better headspace and we'll take it from there."

"Yes, sir," Danny straightened his shirt where it had come untucked in his struggle with the others. He looked over at them. "Sorry about all that."

Lona shrugged. "Who knows, maybe your little bad cop routine had an effect. We'll keep at him."

"Thanks," he shook their hands, making sure not to grip too tightly, his anger still thrumming through him as he tried to control it and tamp it down again.

*

He didn't know what to do, where to go. He couldn't go home. For one, he'd told Steve that wasn't going to happen and he'd meant it. There was no way he was going to back down; he knew that seeing Steve right now would make him feel worse.

He was lucky the Camaro had a bag in the trunk with a change of clothes and some emergency supplies for last minute stakeouts or late nights at the office. He considered checking into a hotel, but that would mean being pleasant to strangers and he didn't want to see _anybody_. Just wanted to hide from the world and when he thought about that, there was only one option.

He pulled up outside the ratty apartment building, grabbed his bag from the back of the car and made his way to the door. He didn't have a key for it anymore; that was lost, probably somewhere in the Golden Palace or hell, maybe in Colombia, but he knew how to pick a lock and he knew the one on this door was cheap and shoddy. He could shoulder barge the door and the result might be an improvement.

Once he got inside he placed the bag on the bed and looked around.

The last time he'd been here, he'd been unable to sleep. He and Steve had talked about him staying on the job. 

Yeah. The last time he'd been here, that had been his final 'out' and he'd decided not to take it.

It may have been the worst decision of his life. Had he known what would happen, would he have taken it? Would he have told Steve that they needed to hand everything back to Fryer? He'd done his job, he'd got Marco Reyes' name. What he'd been asked to do was done. All that he'd been asked for had been accomplished. Would he have been happy with that or would he be kicking himself for not staying under longer and doing his best? All for the sake of an easier life.

In all honesty, he couldn't even answer. He had _no clue_ what he'd have chosen. Those other lives in exchange for his, what… his virtue? To save himself the anger and the gut wrenching fear and self-loathing? A good man, a brave man would say of course. _**Of course**_ he would do it all the same way again. Danny just wasn't sure he was good or brave enough to live up to that. There were too many moments in his life these last few days when he wished Fryer hadn't walked into Five-0 with his request.

He sat down on the bed with a thump, the only noises around him were the traffic on the streets and the TV bleeding through from next door.

Everything was just… not okay. _**Everything**_. His body was struggling to keep up with him as it ached and twinged. His mind couldn't stay focused properly, giving him flashes of things that made his heart sink, his gut twist and his throat go dry. His missed his daughter, he was arguing with Steve every time he saw him, he wasn't working with Five-0… and right now he was sitting in the apartment of a hooker, a rent boy… an undercover alias he needed to have shaken off and yet here he was. You don't go back to these places once you're out, it can mess with your head. Yet, he'd been driven back here to a place that held reminders he wasn't ready for and all because he wasn't up to facing the good things and people in his life.

That was messed up.

He took off his shirt and headed to the bathroom to wash his face. Once he was done staring at his gaunt expression in the mirror, he went to the hide and opened it up. It was empty. They must have checked here for clues when he'd gone missing. That and to protect his cover should anyone else try going through the place.

It was a shame. Maybe if there had been some things in there, he'd be able to survive off the grid for a couple of days. Hell, if he still had that burner phone he could take it with him and leave his real one behind. Maybe rid himself of the clawing feeling that he was always being watched and tracked. Hell, he didn't even know if it was just his overactive and paranoid imagination, or if it really was happening. And with Steve acting like he had been lately, the latter could be true. He wouldn't put it past him.

He sighed and unbuttoned his pants, letting them loosen but not lowering them or taking them off as he climbed on top of the bed, shoving the bag off to clatter to the floor. He crawled under the covers, reached to the switch on the wall and doused the place in darkness.

He hadn't eaten since breakfast.

Funny the things that came to you when you lay in bed at night.

He rolled onto his side, curling in, sheets up and over his shoulder cocooning him, but a poor substitute for the arms he'd got used to over the past few years. The expected dip in the bed beside him, steady breathing, soft snores, small movements. Comfort. He missed comfort. Sure, they hadn't spent every night together, and early on they were still dating other people, but they always gravitated together to a point where it was now strange to not go to the same bed. It was ingrained in him. It was difficult to be purposefully apart, with a gulf of anger between them.

Like the way he had to get used to not being beside Rachel after they'd split. He'd hated feeling it then, and he hated it now. He hadn't even realized that he and Steve had got to that point. Even with the talk of marriage and permanence that Steve had been angling for.

He had no idea what to do about that.

Just like he had no idea what to do about his new job offer, or how to be with Grace when she got back from vacationing with Rachel.

Or how to switch off his damned brain. Damnit! There were too many thoughts, too many unanswered questions and a plethora of memories clawing for attention. When he closed his eyes he saw all the faces. Hell, even now, eyes wide open and staring at the blackness of the wall, he still saw them. Saw Pedro's slimy cigar holding mouth, Marco's happily conniving eyes. And mixed in with all of that was Steve's steely determination.

His big worry was seeing them together, blending together. His anger had already been directed at Steve when it belonged at the feet of the Reyes'… and Luis Restrepo. At Frank Delano and Dwight Murphy. Hell, at Vincent Fryer. Problem was, all those other people weren't around when the anger flared deep inside him and Steve was so everything landed with him instead. 

And Danny knew, he _knew_ that there would be a breaking point. A time when Steve wold turn around and say enough is enough and walk away from someone else's problems.

_"Don't think about the gun, Danny, just open your mouth and swallow me down… Swallow, **puto**. I won't ask again."_

Danny rolled over and fixated instead on the black of the ceiling, the faint outline of the fan slowly whirling on its lowest setting, providing no actual cooling properties. Maybe a little flutter of air through his hair but it wasn't doing much more than that. Why had he even turned it on? He must have hit the button by accident when he hit to turn the lights off.

_"I enjoy making you do things you don't want to do. And you'll change to my way of thinking if you know what's good for you … So desperate to eat my cum you'll even lick it off dirty old concrete."_

No, no no…. he needed better. He needed to think better thoughts, relive better times. Flashes of Marco, of being down in the dirt, that wasn't helping. This is why he hated the darkness - it sent him back to that damned basement. And just…

Steve. Concentrate on Steve… maybe them together, holding each other, maybe on the bed… wrapping his arms around Steve's shoulders, light kisses… hands trailing over his back and down lower, over his hips, enjoying the warmth and the strength. Steve had great arms and when he kissed Danny he had the power to really make him breathless, or to help him breathe, or both at once…

_"It's a bad idea… I don't want you because of what he did… I don't want what's going on to get bad when we're together… he's still in your head."_

God, dammit, not that one, no, don't twist it.

Anger began to boil in him again. That Steve still thought he knew what was best, that he had everything figured out, that he could be the white knight that rode in to save the day but also think he could control everything since then, like Danny was some prize in a medieval tournament. The winner gets Danny, yay!

He clutched at the bedsheets, began to feel the sweat beading his forehead.

How dare any of them begin to think they had the right to own Danny, to tell him what to do. No one was going to make him do anything else again, criminal or hero or anything in between.

The sweat broke out over his body, it felt wet and.. and slimy. It felt like a sheen that wasn't being cooled by the overhead fan, nor heated by the cocoon of sheets around him, it was just there, and it was toxic and it covered him and he couldn't do anything about it. 

It was like the drops weren't just coming from his own body but falling onto it. 

_There were footsteps, beside his head. He saw the dark shoes in his peripheral vision on one side… he turned to the other and saw a man's knees. There was a thrumming, or a throbbing… a vibration from the floor beneath him like an engine working hard._

_"Aren't you done yet? What, he's not pretty enough for you to shoot your load quickly?"_

_"Pretty don't appeal to me, you know that." The voice moved closer, the whole body did and the wet slapping sound too. "I just like seeing them all out of it. I like knowing they can't fight back."_

_"He's unconscious."_

_"I'm not so sure. His eyes keep moving. I want them on mine when I come." A hand roughly held his chin, pulled it round. "Help me out. Keep 'em open." he asked._

_"Fine," the other one sighed, got lower and Danny felt the fingers on his face, above and below his eyes, making him see. And it wasn't a pretty sight. It was up close and personal and he knew those eyes that were only inches from his own, saw them searching, saw the evil that lurked in not so hidden depths._

_"That's it, little bitch. You keep those eyes open. You watch this cock unload on you."_

_The drops fell over his neck, up onto his chin and cheek, some seemed to drop in his eye and he moaned, tried to turn away but was forced to keep looking and not entirely seeing. Half blinded by the spunk in his left eye, his right watering in sympathy and everything out of it and loopy._

_Fingers were forced into his mouth. "Eat it, too, trash. Come on, swallow that cum. Get used to the taste because nothing little whores like you don't get anything else. Don't **want** anything else. This is all you get."_

_"Are you done threatening my unconscious whore?"_

_"For now." He was spat on. It landed on his nose._

He wiped his face, tried to get everything off but he couldn't. It was still there, it was always there and he could never wash it off because it would always return. Like the blood stain at Canterville, it came back to haunt him as a stark reminder that he was just used goods with anything worth having in him stolen and auctioned off to a Colombian drug cartel.

He didn't know what had happened and what hadn't. He'd been unconscious on the plane, he shouldn't be remembering things. Maybe it was his own mind making the whole thing up… adding new weapons to its arsenal. Ways to make Danny Williams feel more like trash than ever before. Like a piece of meat. Like a tight ass and a warm mouth. A dumpster for whatever they wanted to put inside him. 

And it just kept leaking out… of his body, of his brain.

_"He's done, leave him be."_

_"He can take it," the recognizable voice was there again, as was the wet slapping sound. "I got a hard on needs taking care of. And he's right here."_

_Wet splatters again over his neck and chin, the sounds of someone coming, and the buzz of an engine below him still audible. He felt gross, his body already had enough crap on it and they kept piling on more only for it to dry and begin another layer._

_He struggled to move, to see, to focus and he couldn't. The pills he'd been given were strong but his eyes fluttered, half opened and he was able to make out the figure over him, smiling in satisfaction to see Danny covered in his cum and it made his heart sink when he saw it._

_"Steve?"_

_"That's it, take it for me, baby, take all of it."_

_"Steve," he said again, unbelieving and yet he knew this, he remembered it._

_"It's so pretty on you," Steve's hand swirled over Danny's chest, up his neck, chin and pressed into his mouth and Danny could taste the cum on his tongue._

"Steve," he said again breathless, and realized the hum of the engine was gone, replaced by the soft whir of the overhead fan and he was staring at the ceiling of a crummy apartment and not the smooth sleek lines of a private jet. And he was alone.

Somehow while he'd been thinking, his thoughts wandering and skipping and bombarding him, he'd drifted into some kind of uneasy sleep.

He sat up against the headboard, pulling his knees up as he did so, rubbing at his face then reaching out to turn on the bedside light. He let out a long breath and concentrated on grounding himself where he was and taking himself out of the memories and the nightmares. He contemplated getting up to splash water on his face or to maybe seek out some food but he didn't have anything here, though there might be some beer in the fridge and maybe that sounded good right now.

He eased himself to a sitting position, feet on the ground and he yanked his pants up from where they were beginning to fall down and he zipped up again as he began to walk around the bed. 

There was a knock at the door. 

He frowned, contemplated going for his gun. 

"Danny? It's Steve," the muffled voice said from the other side of the door. "Is everything okay?"

Danny picked up his phone from the nightstand, checking the time to see it was 2am. Great. So Steve had tracked his phone again and found out where he was. He really couldn't escape the man.

"Danny?"

He went to the door before the neighbors could complain and flung it open to reveal a tired and rather disheveled Steve standing there, hands braced on either side of the door. 

"I saw the light go on, wanted to check you were okay."

"How long were you out there?" Danny asked, already knowing the answer.

Steve ignored the question. "You need to come home with me, it'll be safer. You can't stay here." He began to push into the room, forcing Danny to step back, so he took the higher road and turned, walking away from Steve and letting the other man close the door behind him. 

His skin was still crawling, still remembering his dream, still seeing Steve over him as if he were there on that plane with him. He knew it wasn't right, he knew he was distorting everything in his head, melding different memories together into one nightmare but it was too fresh in his mind to think talking to Steve right now was a good idea. 

"I told you I didn't want to see you," he said as he pointedly stayed turned away from him. 

"I know you didn't mean it."

Danny gave a hollow laugh. "Didn't mean it…? So, what, you're a mind reader now? You're The Amazing McGarrett, you know exactly what's going on everywhere and what everyone else is thinking… or is just me, huh? Am I the privileged person who you know inside and out?" His words were biting. He felt his fists clenching.

"You're still mad at me then. I had hoped maybe you'd have cooled off by now."

"Well, I haven't," Danny turned to Steve, snarling at the other man and widening his stance, ready for yet another argument. "I tell you what, when you can stop trying to control me over all this? Maybe then I'll cool off."

"I'm not trying to control-"

"Like hell you aren't!" Danny yelled at him, no longer caring about the neighbors but also suspecting they were unlikely to be strangers to middle of the night arguments. "You've been telling me what to do and what to think since I landed back on this crappy Island! As for how much you've been tracking me? I don't know whether it's because you think I can't handle myself and need you to rescue me all the time, or whether it's because I'm your property and I was taken from you and you're still pissed off about it."

"Danny, do NOT go there again, do NOT throw that at me! I am nothing like Marco Reyes and I'm sick of you thinking like this," Steve's posture stiffened.

"You're not, huh?" Danny asked. "Okay." He sauntered closer to Steve, stepped up into his space, chest to chest. He ran a finger down from Steve's collarbone to rest in the center of his torso. "You've tried to hold me captive just like he did. You freaked out in the hospital. You refuse to let me leave the house. You punished me for doing so in a way that tried to keep me even more under your thumb. And you get off on it, don't you," he said, his voice lowering as he felt Steve's chest heaving more and more with shallow, angry breaths.

"I'm keeping you safe," he reiterated like a mantra. 

"You're trying to keep me prisoner. You want to call me 'whore' too? _Your_ little whore?" He tightened his grip on Steve's t-shirt, his words coming through gritted teeth and fake sensuality. "Keep me locked in our basement?"

"Danny-" Steve warned again and Danny was getting sick of hearing that tone in his voice.

He let his hands slide over Steve's rigid body and into his pockets until he found what he was looking for. He pulled the cuffs out and held them up. "I'm sure there's a drainpipe around here somewhere you can tie me to. Then, I dunno, you could jack off over me, or stick your dick right to the back of my throat and make me gag on it." He pressed the cuffs into Steve's chest, but the other man made no grab for them and when Danny let go, they fell to the ground.

"Goddamnit, Danny, stop."

Danny snarled. "You first," he shoved at Steve who stumbled back a step. He looked down to see that Steve's cock was beginning to get with the program. His own, too, and he had no idea what that said about either of them. It wasn't like they hadn't done those things before - their sex life had a lot of kinky shit in it, but it had always been done with so much trust between them and in no way like Marco Reyes had started. It had been role-play, it had been a fun change of pace and experimentation. It had been the opposite of dull. Then the Reyes' came along and blew it out the water with their sick antics and it had tainted things Danny had once enjoyed with Steve. So much so that he was already trying to replace their faces with Steve's in his head. Was it some kind of coping mechanism? Did he want to try and turn what they'd done to him into something he enjoyed so he could disassociate with the rape connotation? Or had it simply ruined those things for him, and ruined his relationship, ruined his sex life.

"Lashing out won't help," Steve started, trying to be reasonable through his own problems. Which wasn't right. Steve being rational was like pineapple on pizza - it didn't taste right. Didn't sit right. And it made Danny itch.

"Lashing out," Danny mumbled. "I'm just telling you the truth. Stating facts. Okay? I'm not going to marry you, Steve. I'm not even going to want to ever be in the same room as you again, the same zip code. I'm out. I'm done. Go back to the Navy, go get yourself blown up for all I care."

"You don't mean that."

"Oh, yes I do. I see now what everyone was talking about. Your own family can't even fucking stand you. Mary went to LA to get away from you, your aunt only took her in and sent you to some military boarding school instead when your dad couldn't stand to be around you anymore. Not to mention having a mother who killed herself to get away. You're poison and I want nothing to do with you."

"Danny," Steve's voice broke, Danny's words hitting home, just like he wanted them to. Breaking Steve felt like such a good fucking idea. If he was broken too, then Danny wouldn't be the only one. "If you're trying to hurt me then it's fucking working." He wiped at his nose. "Maybe I'm not the only one comparable to one of the Reyes'."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Danny paced, half turned away from Steve.

"Beating a person down with words, trying to make them feel like trash and getting off on it? Sounds a lot like Pedro to me. And that's exactly what you're doing right now."

"I am not like Pedro Reyes. I am not," Danny spat out. "I don't want to hurt innocent people, this isn't a game to me. I'm only trying to hurt YOU!"

"Why, Danny?" Steve leaned forward, voice shaking but steely.

"BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT!" Danny yelled back at him. He raised a hand but didn't know what to do with it and it floundered in the air as he turned and leaned on the table with his knuckles. "You were my back up and you never stopped anything. You sat there, on the floor and you watched…" he broke off, his eyes closing and he could feel Steve's shadow on his back edging closer and it made him shiver. He turned his head to the side and in a moment that had no thought behind it, he grabbed the wooden chair sitting there. His momentum followed it through as he lifted it and twisted around, hitting Steve's side with force enough to shatter the chair into pieces, leaving him holding two long legs of it.

His eyes widened in surprise that matched Steve's as the other man lurched to the right with the impact. Danny still didn't even put any thought into what he was doing, he just… let go. He dropped one of the legs and held the remaining one like a baseball bat and threw all the weight he had in him behind another swing and it struck Steve's defensive arm.

He pulled it back again, holding the wooden length high. "You let him do that to me. You let him…" He swung, hitting against Steve's thigh as he toppled to the ground. "You could have done something and you didn't…" He hit out again, the wood splintering as he impacted against Steve's hip where he was now on the ground below him, not even trying to help himself, just accepting the punishment. "You let him hurt me when you could have stopped it…"

He struck out two more times, hitting hard, but the adrenaline rush was leaving him, he felt weak and sore himself. He lost any accuracy and strength. 

"How does it feel?" he asked, hearing the pain in his own words.

Steve didn't answer, just lay there, barely moving on the ground, hands still up to protect his face and more vulnerable parts but he'd taken the beating like some kind of penance and Danny had had enough. He dropped the piece of wood that had broken and shortened with each hit he'd taken and he walked away, stumbling to the bathroom and locking the door behind himself. 

He wasn't even sure if he was breathing or not, he wasn't sure what was going on or what had happened, but his chest felt like sweat had dried cold on him and like his insides were encased in plastic wrap that was slowly tightening and suffocating him. 

He moved to the shower, turning it on, shucking his pants and underwear and climbing in whether it was cold or warm, he didn't even care, he just needed the water. He opened his mouth to the spray and swallowed what landed inside, he let it overflow from his mouth and down his body with the rest of it, he scrubbed rough hands over himself and watched everything flow down the drain at the bottom. 

What the fuck had he done? What was he thinking?

How could he do that?

This wasn't the him that he wanted to be - an angry, mixed up, shell. He didn't want to be the trash Pedro had called him. He hated that the man had influence on him still despite being dead. Influence enough for him to hurt the one person who had completely stuck by him the whole time. Influence to make him blame that same person for all the hurt in his life, to try and transfer it over to him and instead just make himself feel even worse. 

He felt his legs leave him and he was on the hard surface of the bath, shoulders deflated just like the rest of his body, hair falling forward into his eyes and dripping down his nose as the spray battered him. Silent sobs wracked through his body, tears mingling with imagined dirt and running into the drain.

He heard his name being called and the rattle of the locked door. In the next moment the voice was closer, the curtain pulled back with a screech and warm arms he craved were wrapping around him, his legs bracketed by strong thighs and a thin trail of blood made its way into the swirling water around them.

He twisted in the grip but didn't want it to loosen and he clutched into the wet t-shirt behind his head. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into the torrent of water around them. 

A hand stroked through his hair, peeling it back from his forehead. "It's okay, I'm here, everything's okay. Shhhhh," he felt a rocking, a calming tone in Steve's voice and he closed his eyes to let it in, breathing in a scent from Steve that didn't wash away with everything else, couldn't, one he recognized as being all Steve. "You're going to be fine."


	26. Chapter 26

Danny felt small as he sat on the edge of the bed, legs crossed at the ankles and hands clasped in his lap. He watched as Steve examined his hip where a shard of wood from the chair had broken off and embedded itself in him, making him bleed. He seemed to have all the splintered pieces out, but he had a flashlight on to check that the bleeding had stopped. Danny's hands attempted to reach out, he tried to say he could help but he didn't. He didn't want to make anything worse.

Instead, he grimaced and wrinkled his nose as he watched guiltily while sitting with a towel wrapped around his waist and Steve tightened his own in place. Danny had at least stripped down before going into the shower. Steve had just leapt in, fully clothed and wrapped himself around Danny like a protective shield. One Danny didn't think he deserved. 

Steve used antiseptic from Danny's first aid kit and since the cuts were superficial, he didn't bother with any dressings.

He sat next to Danny, towering over him, or so it felt like. He brought a leg up and bent it behind Danny's back so he could pull himself in closer. He ran his hand through Danny's drying hair, fingers molding a pattern around Danny's ear, then he kissed his bare shoulder while keeping up the relaxing touches.

"I need to apologize," Danny said, voice raw and quiet. "For everything."

"So do I," Steve said and Danny grimaced.

"No, just, listen to me for a second," he turned to face Steve better. "What I did to you is unacceptable. I don't care about precedent or how shit I feel, I shouldn't have done that and there's no excuse."

"Okay," Steve answered, somewhat accepting but also waiting for anything else Danny might say. 

"I promised myself it wouldn't happen, you know? The mental breakdown. Too scared of it and how it might affect me," Steve's fingers continued to thread through Danny's hair as he spoke. "What I said was probably worse. You can take a beating, I guess, as much as I shouldn't have done it and very much regret it. But what I _said_ probably hurt more. I need you to know I didn't mean it. None of it. I was looking for a way to hurt you. Purposely. I… I dug deep and I know you well enough to know where it hurts most and I took pot shots. I'm so sorry."

Steve nodded then brushed his cheek over Danny's shoulder. "Okay. Apology accepted. But I provoked you."

"What? No," Danny's brow furrowed as he refuted the claim. "And even if you did, it's still no excuse."

"Danny, I get it, you regret doing and saying what you did, you don't need to dwell on it. I already forgave you."

"But I need you to _understand_ it. So you believe I really won't do it again and you don't start, I dunno, flinching when I reach out for you."

"Do you see me flinching right now?" Steve asked as he massaged the back of Danny's neck with one hand while the other held tightly to one of Danny's in his lap.

"No?"

"That's because I trust you. I know you're hurting, I know we've got some stuff to deal with, but I also know that you're the best person in my life and I trust that you're going to come through this. Besides, I could have stopped you and I didn't."

"I noticed that," Danny said contemplating it. Steve was a SEAL, if someone was going to be able to deal with an upset guy with a stick, it would be a SEAL. "I just figured you were being very you about the whole thing and noble and didn't want to hurt me by fighting back."

Steve tilted his head. "Sure, there was some of that. But, look, Danny… you said that you were trying to hurt me with things you knew would do the job and you were right. Blaming me for what happened, for not helping you… that's exactly how I feel. I blame myself. So when you started hitting me, I dunno, I just took it. It was my penance. It felt like you deserved to have that go at me because I failed you."

"Only you would believe taking a beating is right because you think you let someone down. It's not, just for the record."

"I can't help how I feel," Steve sighed. "You know I'd have taken everything on myself if it would have spared you all of this."

"I do know that," Danny hinted at a smile, then frowned. "I said your mom killed herself to get away from you. Steve, that was… please don't think I meant that. Or the thing about your dad or Mary. It didn't come from me, it was just words, strung together to hurt you and twist the knife in. None of that was me, not really, I just… I was looking for a way to share how bad I was feeling."

"And now?"

"Now? Now I just feel worse. Venting is one thing but trying to, I dunno, transfer my hurt onto someone else, it's just the stupidest thing I ever thought of."

"What about you though?" Steve worried at his lower lip, his thumb tracing patterns on Danny's wrist that he concentrated on rather than looking into Danny's eyes for his answer. "I mean, putting aside everything from earlier as some kind of blip-"

"Like a glitch?"

"Sure, like a glitch. If we forget about that, then how do you really feel right now? About yourself, about me?"

"Steve, I love you. You might drive me up the wall occasionally, but that doesn't stop me loving you. You're not poison, or whatever I said."

"I want to get married, Danny," Steve lifted his head further, able to look at Danny with a truthful intensity that made Danny stop breathing for a moment. He smiled, it felt like he might explode, but it only lasted a few moments. Enough for Steve to look hopeful, but then reality sunk in again for Danny. 

"Let's just… get past everything first, alright?"

Steve raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's not a no, so I guess I'll take it."

"No, it's not a no," Danny bounced his head a little. 

"Come here," Steve beckoned and brought his hand to Danny's neck, keeping him still as he leaned in for the kiss and hummed into it. "I love you, too." He kissed him again, a quick press of lips. "Is it my turn now?"

"Your turn for what?" Danny asked, still smiling from the tentative kisses.

"To apologize."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Danny shook his head. 

"Yes, I do," Steve took Danny's hands again. "I was pushing you. And you're right, I was trying to shield you and keep you to myself thinking no one could hurt you if I kept you safe but I forgot along the way that maybe I was hurting you by doing that."

Danny jutted out his lower lip. "This sounds an awful lot like you telling me I was right about something."

Steve licked his lips. "Just a little." At Danny's eyebrow raise, Steve capitulated. "You were right. I need to let go a little, let you deal with things on your own terms. Recovery is not a mission, certainly not one I can control."

"No, it's not. Apology accepted," Danny leaned in to seal it with a kiss, enjoying the chasteness of the ones they were sharing, feeling good about them. "I don't want you to be someone you're not. I know you have, well, a personality defect-"

"People think I'm charming."

"'People' might think that, but I know better. I know you are touched in the head by this incessant need to be in control and there are plenty of times and places and activities where I wholeheartedly approve and indeed encourage said behavior. But if I ask you to back off, I need you to listen."

"I do. I will. I promise. Which is why I'm going to start right now by asking… do you need anything?"

"Well, I need some sleep," Danny started.

"Okay. It's a bit late to head on home and I may not like the neighborhood but it's probably best to stay inside until its light so…" he gestured up the bed behind him and Danny nodded. 

They crawled up, discarding the towels and leaving themselves naked as they got under the sheets. They wrapped themselves together and brought the covers up tight. 

"You know, I'm surprised the cops didn't show up asking if there was a problem earlier," Danny mused. 

"In this area? I'm pretty sure everyone just keeps their mouths shut and their noses out of everyone else's business."

"Probably," Danny nodded against Steve, his hair tickling Steve's nose and making him need to scratch it. He stared again at the whirring of the ceiling fan and this time he didn't feel so alone with it. "Maybe with you here, I won't get the nightmares."

"Nightmares? You want to talk about them?"

Danny moved his head on Steve's shoulder, let his fingers trace lazy patterns over Steve's chest. There was a quiet between them, heavy but comfortable while Danny decided what to say if anything and Steve patiently waited him out. 

"Some of it's memories," he said as he listened to Steve's steady breathing. "A mixture of different ones all together."

"What about the rest? You said 'some' are memories," Steve prodded gently.

"Just my imagination. They could be true, I know things happened that I don't really remember so some of it might have happened, I dunno," he moved his leg between Steve's, pulling their bodies closer. He wasn't sure if he should continue or not, but felt he owed part of a further explanation to Steve. "You were there and my dream, it mixed up you and Marco. I was angry when I woke and when you got here I just… continued to take it out on you."

"Do you really think I'm like him?" Steve asked, an unsureness in his voice that seemed out of character.

"No," Danny immediately said with certainty. "No more than any other human." He'd been through it in his head enough. No matter if he called Steve out on his protective need to keep Danny away, that didn't mean he did it for remotely the same reasons as Marco did and he knew that once Steve stopped to listen to him properly, then he'd take these things on board. He had now. They could more easily move on and fix things between them.

"Okay," Steve answered, satisfied.

Together they were finally able to drift to sleep, a comfortable warmth between them, the sounds from the outside world muffled enough to be no distraction and the curtains thick enough to slow the arrival of daytime. 

When they woke, there was a dim orange glow to the room. Steve stretched his hand in front of him so he could see the time on his watch.

Danny blinked up at him.

"It's just past 9am," Steve said, voice groggy from sleep. "How you doing? You slept better?"

Danny wrinkled his nose. There had been weirdness in his mind but not the kind to make him jolt awake or toss and turn, but his dreams hadn't been fun. "Than before? Sure," he answered. 

Steve turned onto his side, facing Danny head on as they lay together. He brought his hand to Danny's neck. "Can I make anything better?"

Danny raised his eyebrows and then gave a glint of a smile. One that Steve could interpret easily.

"Are you sure? After last night?"

"Steve, I have all these memories floating in my head of how bad an experience being with someone can be. And I used to be filled with so many glorious ones of us together. I feel like… like I'm an old videotape, you know? And the bad recorded over the good… now I need to do the opposite."

"You want to replace the bad memories with fresh, new ones," Steve stated, making sure he was getting it right. 

"Yeah," he traced his fingers down Steve's arm.

"Okay, but," Steve frowned confusedly for a second as he did some thinking. "What if we try to tape over the bad memories and the machine breaks and the tape gets all twisted up?"

Danny wrapped his head around where the thought was going, translating before he answered. "Well," he pressed closer, their chest hairs tickling as they breathed against each other. "I trust this machine. I've had it a long time now and I doubt it's going to break anything it doesn't want to. I _trust_ it."

"You sure?"

"Yes, and can we stop this metaphor now because it's getting out of hand," he smiled on a laugh. He trailed his hand over Steve's hip and round to his dick, holding loosely as he began slowly pumping it. "I'd much rather spend some quality time with this."

"I'd like that, too." Steve pulled Danny's head closer, their lips meeting, gently at first but as Danny held tighter to Steve's cock, his tongue pushed more insistently into Danny's mouth. Steve rocked his hips into Danny's hold, then grabbed for his ass pulling him closer, trapping Danny's cock beside his own and moving them in a steady rhythm.

"Hmmm," Danny hummed into the kiss, then was able to talk when Steve broke away to start in on Danny's neck and shoulder. "I wish I had lube on me, but that'll have to wait until we get home. I really want this cock in my ass."

Steve shuddered with want at the comment, which filled Danny with smugness, making him smile with delight. "I want that too, baby, come here," Steve brought his hand up between them, licked up the palm and sucked on his fingers. 

"Give me that," Danny said as he watched, and took over, laving Steve's hand with spit, helping him, joining him. When they were done, Steve lowered his hand between them, taking Danny's cock in hand and bringing it together with his own, his bigger hand better able to hold both of them at once. Danny covered it with his, twining their fingers as they jacked off together.

"Ah, fuck, I'm not gonna last," Steve gritted out between his teeth as he sped up the rhythm, twisting their hands over the heads of their dicks, pre-cum mingling with the spit to make the slide easier and within moments he was spurting over Danny's stomach and chest as well as his own.

They breathed into each others' mouths, and the smell of sex around was intoxicating. It didn't take long for Danny to join him, feeling freer than ever, safe as he took a few moments to center himself again.

He rolled onto his back, looking down at the mixture of both of their cum on his body. Steve took one look and his eyes widened. "I'll get a cloth, hold on, I'll be right back."

He only got as far as sitting up when Danny reached out his hand and grabbed Steve's elbow. "No, it's okay," he said. He knew what Steve was worried about - Danny reacting to having cum on him like had happened with Pedro. Maybe making him trigger somehow, but he was too content with having been with Steve just now to worry about it. And besides, maybe he could use this to get used to what they were, all over again. "Lie back," he gestured.

Slowly, Steve complied, staying on his side, head propped up on a hand in case he was needed as he looked down at Danny. "You sure?"

"This is good," he reached a hand down, swirling a finger in the cum on his stomach and he rubbed it in, feeling it spread over more of his skin. "We never shied away from this before. I don't want us to start now. I don't want you to think we can't just be who we've always been."

"That's a great sentiment, but I'm fine with taking it slow for a while."

"Vanilla?" Danny smiled. "Babe, you are not a vanilla kind of guy. It's one of the many reasons I love you. Right from the start."

"The start was different, we were undercover."

"And it was dirty as hell, and really kind of gross, but I loved every minute of it. And I know you did, too. I don't want us to be ashamed of that, or question what we do together. No flinching away from it. I want you to be able to fuck my mouth, or my ass as roughly as you need. I want you to get your cum wherever you want it, inside me or on me. The difference with you over anyone else is that I trust you and I love you and you're so fucking hot that you can have me."

"You think I'm hot?" Steve waggled his eyebrows.

"Fiery," Danny flirted right on back, even as they lay facing each other, just having had sex and still lying in their own stink. It still felt comfortable and light. "I spend a lot of my time just wanting to get you naked."

"To do wicked things with my body?" Steve leaned forward, kissing Danny's lips lightly, then trailing over his jaw an down into his neck.

"Hell yeah," Danny breathed out. "Do it, babe," he encouraged, pulling Steve's hips forward to his own with a leg over him and Steve took the cue, biting down just above Danny's collarbone, sucking hard into the skin, knowing that the sting always gave a jolt to Danny's dick. They weren't going to be ready for another round for a while, but it still felt good to try.

Steve's hand skirted down, resting just above the crack of Danny's ass and massaging into his lower back. He looked at Danny's neck, at the reddening mark. "You always look so pretty with my teeth on you." The look in Steve's eyes made Danny's mouth water and he swallowed. This was natural, this was what he wanted.

"I'm serious, Steven," he said. "Don't lose this. This is what I need, okay?" He pushed forward, flattening Steve onto his back and he straddled him, the sheets pooling low behind him as he did so and he looked down at Steve from above, hands on his hard chest. 

Steve's hands stroked up Danny's thighs. "I'll fuck you as hard and as often as you want, sweetheart."

"Good boy," Danny teased. Steve didn't ask again if Danny was sure, and that was a good thing. He needed normal, he needed fun, he needed the look in Steve's eyes that said he wanted him, needed him, wanted Danny to feel good… loved him. 

He wasn't an idiot. He knew there would be plenty of times he might need something more vanilla or nothing at all while he coped in his own way, but right now he just wanted to keep taping over the bad things in his head. Sex with Steve wasn't a cure - as much as he might wish it and as much as Steve might think his cock had healing powers - but it was going to help.

"Now, I don't know about you, but I'd quite like to get out of here," Steve let his hands wander from Danny's thighs and up to his stomach where the cum was drying on him and matting into the hairs there. "And don't wash. We'll do that at home."

"Want your stink on me for longer, huh?" Danny asked. He was having fun with it but there was more to it. That smell that had been stuck in his nostrils for days, the smell of Marco and Pedro and hospitals and dirty basements and warehouses... it was being overridden with Steve's and his own and it was better. It was warmer, reminded him of home. He was happy to keep it around for a while.

"Always," Steve smiled. "But I also know how much you love the massaging shower head I have there and I think we can make use of it. So get your stuff together and let's go." As Danny lifted his leg over Steve to get off the bed, he felt the smack that Steve landed on the back of his thigh. 

There was an awkward pause, but only for a millisecond, and Steve relaxed when he noticed how Danny had been fine with it. 

As they dressed, Danny couldn't help but wonder if he'd be able to do this with anyone else. The fact that he had such powerful memories of being with Steve, so much love for him… If he'd been with anyone else, or if he'd been single, he just didn't think he'd be able to cope at all with any of what was going on.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Steve asked as he met Danny by the door, everything in hand for them leaving the apartment behind them. 

"No reason," Danny jutted out his lower lip. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Steve kissed him chastely. "Come on, let's go."


	27. Chapter 27

Steve showered first. It was easier since he was the quickest. While Danny stood under the spray he took the time to process the ups and down of the last 24 hours. More than that, even. The last few days, the last week… 

From being content and happy with very few problems in his life to living through hell yet thinking, _**knowing**_ that others had it worse than him. Were still living in their nightmares.

Washing off the dried cum that was a mix of his own and Steve's was no different to washing off the mess that had been on his body previously. Not in what it was anyway, but in his mind it was very different. The smell even seemed like it wasn't the same even if logically it couldn't be discernible from any other. 

If it was all in his mind, he still felt better about it. Maybe it wasn't even the actual physical evidence and more just the feelings of where it came from: how he'd felt about it, or the person it came from, or how they'd been together…

One thing was for sure: Steve was no magical cure for what ailed him. Steve was amazing and he didn't know what he'd do without him even when he did drive Danny up the wall, but it was far better having him there than not. But Marco and Pedro Reyes could never be wiped from his mind. There was no way he'd ever have sex again without having stray thoughts and images in his head of what they'd done to him.

Maybe it was just more to do with trust. And safety. Those were things he had with Steve before his jaunt to Colombia and were still there now. To think of trying to build that kind of relationship with someone afresh seemed untenable. It just couldn't happen. If he and Steve broke up tomorrow, then Danny would end up as a monk. He'd have only his own hands for the rest of his life because there was just no way he saw himself being able to meet someone and trust them to that level. 

That's not to say that a few years down the line he couldn't put the Reyes Cartel so deeply into his rearview mirror that what he was thinking now couldn't fade. It was entirely possible that with years of therapy and a positive attitude, he could be with someone else again. He'd spent enough time in Vice to have seen it… from hookers who leave the life and settle down, to victims of abuse who can find love elsewhere.

But if he married Steve, none of that would be an issue anyway. _**If**_ he married him. 

He still wondered if it was a good idea. That voice in the back of his head that said Steve would get sick of him and leave was still there. His outlook not only scarred by recent events, but by his previous relationships.

He turned off the spray and stood for a moment, letting the water drip from him. He teased hands through his hair to get more of the drops out and then pushed open the curtain. He could have jumped out of his skin when he saw Steve sitting on the toilet seat, towel around his waist and hands held tightly in his lap. 

"You okay?" Danny asked. 

"You were right. I waited too long," he said, only looking up after he started talking, a worried look in his eyes. 

Danny grabbed his own towel and wrapped it around himself as he stepped out. "Waited too long for what?" he asked slowly. 

"To stop Pedro," he explained in as few words as possible. Danny thought he might really have to coax this one out of Steve.

"You mean at the warehouse?"

"Yes, Danny, the warehouse. I close my eyes and I see him doing that to you. I see the way you clung to me after and how difficult it was for you to cope with it and I just… I tell myself I waited too long."

Danny crouched in front of Steve. "What ifs don't help. My therapist keeps saying stuff like that."

"Danny, it's not about that. I mean, I feel terrible for waiting and I feel terrible for just how much I'd contemplate moving sooner," he looked at Danny's blank, open expression and got the hint that he'd need to explain further. "Until we heard that Chin and Kono were okay, if I'd moved sooner, I'd have put them in danger. They could have been killed. But I think back and a part of me just says… it was a risk I should have taken."

Danny took a deep breath in through his nose. It was a guilt not lost on him either, and certainly not unexpected. He should have maybe tried to ease Steve's mind on it earlier, he should have known Steve would agonize over something like that and not talk about it. That's just how Steve was. "So you think you could have signed Chin and Kono's death sentence, because you tried to stop Pedro Reyes from coating me with his cum."

"Crude," Steve shot him a look. "But yes. And I feel like the worst kind of person for thinking others could die because of that, let it happen…. and not just random strangers; our best friends, our Ohana. But then I just see the whole thing again and how I'd give anything for you not to go through that and it makes me angry and I just-" he fisted up his hand, bit his bottom lip and couldn't continue.

"Babe, I get it. I do," Danny rubbed a hand up Steve's toweled thigh. 

"When he shoved his fingers inside you… I know that we'd heard they'd escaped, but my mind didn't really acknowledge that, I just saw red and struck out."

"And I'm glad you did," Danny said. "I can't hide that. You still rescued me, still stopped him before he could do any more damage. Thing is, I've had the same stray thoughts as you. A part of me wonders if I wanted you to move sooner and not give a damn about anyone else."

Steve gave him a pained look. "Is it wrong of me to think we got the best outcome?"

Danny raised his eyebrows. It stung to hear it and he bit his tongue against the automatic response of 'of course not' because Danny _had_ been put through all that crap. And would still suffer for the rest of his life because of it… but no one died, and he had to reconcile how bad it could have been. "It could have been worse," he hedged.

"But you hate me for thinking that putting this on you- I'm not saying it's good, of course not. It's fucking awful and I'm going to make things better if it's the last thing I do. And yes, the best outcome would be none of it happening in the first place… but in the circumstances? I just keep telling myself we won, and that has to count for something."

"But you still feel guilty because it's like feeling good because I got… abused."

"Something like that."

Danny sat back, his legs beginning to go numb in his crouched position. Instead he wound up sitting on the floor, chin on Steve's knee as he considered the entire conundrum. "Babe, I can't give you an answer. And I don't know what to say to make you feel better about it. I'm not sure I even should."

"I know. And I don't want you to say you forgive me if you don't mean it."

"It's not about forgiveness, Steve. It's not about blame it's just… it's coping with the decisions that were made. By all of us. Things went down as they did and we can't change that. But the fact that we feel so terrible about it is probably a good thing, you know? Shows we're not terrible human beings like the Reyes'."

"That's very psychobabble of you. That shrink actually helping? You've only seen her a couple of times."

"What can I say? When I let my brain do some actual thinking rather than jumping to knee-jerk dumb responses, I'm actually quite clever."

Steve huffed a laugh and ran his fingers through Danny's wet hair as he still sat below him. "Come here," he prompted, getting Danny off the floor and to sit sideways on his lap. He wrapped his arms around Danny's waist and ducked his head into his neck, breathing in deeply over and over.

Danny stroked between Steve's shoulder blades. He seemed like a weight had been lifted off him. He must have been working under that guilt for the last few days and though it wasn't gone away, talking about it had helped, as well as Danny's acceptance of it.

Steve pulled back enough to speak. "I'll never be sorry for an outcome that got you back to me. Alive. Healing."

Danny wrinkled his nose. "Even if I did crack a chair over your back?"

"Even then."

*

He refused to argue about it, but he wasn't happy. "You're swooping in on my case," he said back at Steve.

"No, I'm continuing to work on the case we took on together. Five-0 and Fryer's task force… joint operation. How can I steal your case if we've both been on it for the same length of time?"

"You know what I mean. I'm the one who collared Restrepo for this, I should be the one to finish with him."

"Yesterday, your idea of finishing with him meant beating him to a pulp. Your head isn't in the right place to deal with him. Can you honestly tell me you won't lunge at him if he says that shit again?"

Danny scuffed his foot on the ground, hands in his pockets. "No," he groaned. 

"There you go," Steve announced triumphantly, like he'd won. "I'll go sort this out. You know I do bad cop better than you."

"I should still be nearby. If he gives us the information we need, then I want to be able to follow up on it."

"If he says anything, you'll be my first stop," Steve assured him. "Go to Five-0, or stay here at home. You know which one I'd prefer," Steve drained the last of his coffee and placed the mug in the sink. 

"Yeah, yeah," Danny rolled his eyes. 

"Not because I want to keep you protected… not entirely," he amended, both of them well aware that such a switch in Steve's head wouldn't be turned off overnight, no matter the heart-to-heart. What they'd done was acknowledge things and vow to work on them, nothing more. "You're still healing up and last night didn't exactly help," he narrowed his eyes as he walked closer to Danny again, fingers of one hand reaching to stroke down his face. "On the plus side, the bruising here isn't as many colors. Pretty much just yellowish brown now. Quite the aesthetic."

"Thanks, Van Gogh," he self-consciously reached for his face, touching to see how the tenderness felt. 

"Just do me a favor and relax. Here or at work, I don't mind, just don't come to the Precinct until Restrepo is dealt with."

"Fine," Danny capitulated and Steve bent to kiss him in thanks, taking the small victory. 

"I'll call," he said, then made his way out. 

Danny looked at the door. 'Here or at work' but not at the precinct. Which meant Steve still thought of Danny as Five-0 despite firing him. That was a fight they wouldn't forget in a hurry, not the final words anyway, and yet Steve hadn't hedged his bets, he'd just stated 'work' like it was a fact, like the fight hadn't happened or they both knew Steve hadn't meant it. 

But meaning it or not wasn't the point. Danny had said to Chin he didn't want to be Steve's partner if Steve didn't trust him. And at the time he'd been bitter but it had been the truth. Now, Danny had a whole new problem to work through. Considering their early morning conversation in the bathroom, was it wise for them to go back to working together?

If they could so easily consider prioritizing each other to a degree that abuse was on a par with their friends' _**lives**_ , then that was a dangerous position for all of them to be in. Not just to have it actually, possibly happen, but for them to worry about it constantly - the thought distracting them. 

The job offer from Nahua was still tempting. It would be even if everything had been alright at Five-0 because it was a promotion, a chance to lead his own task force. Career progression. He couldn't turn that down lightly. He had a lot of things to consider when it came to his future with Five-0 and not all of them were colored with such drama as the possible ultimatums that they would face as a team, but simple things like more money, perhaps more stability, a chance to prove himself in his career. All the things people considered when offered such a chance. 

*

Danny hadn't heard anything. It had already been five hours of him staying at home and trying to distract himself, forcing himself not to text Steve and ask how things were. So instead, he'd gone to his therapy session. 

He hated to admit it, but it had been helping, even after just a few days. He could use the time to vent more than anything else and she'd been accepting of his griping and without any arguing back or eye rolls and dismissal. 

He certainly didn't get the impression she'd keep him from going back to work once he'd be able to pass his physical, and that was a good thing. Whether or not she was letting him just _think_ that, he didn't truly know. He'd probably been doing a fair amount of bullshitting to make himself seem more okay than he was, but to him, there were moments when he was perfectly fine, and others when he wanted to curl up into a ball. Most of the time he had a good grasp on the distinction but sometimes his feelings would sneak up on him. He was just lucky that when he'd been in therapy sessions, he was having good moments.

Once he got home it had been over eight hours since Steve had left to go interrogate Restrepo. He still hadn't heard anything and not just from Steve but from anyone. There was a silence that he wasn't sure was just them forgetting about him or purposely keeping him out of the loop.

He sighed and began preparing dinner. 

His spirits were lifted by a call from Grace and the promise of all the fun they'd have once she was back from vacation even though for some of it he'd be quite happy for them to sack out on the couch and watch movies. She didn't know anything about his injuries, undercover work or kidnapping, just that he'd been very busy for a while with a case and he hoped that by the time she returned, he'd look a lot more like his usual self again.

When the door opened, he was testing the pasta to see if it was ready. 

"Danny?" The voice called out, not wanting to startle him by who was arriving home.

"In the kitchen," he replied and it was only a few moments later that Steve's head popped around the doorframe. 

"You been here all day? The guys said you never called or anything," Steve said with a faked nonchalance. It made Danny bristle for a moment but he let his instinctual response mellow. He shouldn't be mad. Chin and Kono probably thought if he hadn't contacted them, then he wanted time alone at home. And since he hadn't called or texted anyone, he couldn't be annoyed at them for not doing the same.

"Therapy earlier but yeah, pretty much just been around here the whole time."

Steve pushed away from the wall and sauntered closer, an arm going loosely around Danny's back as he pressed a kiss to Danny's hair. "That's good, baby, you need the rest."

"Spoke to Grace earlier. She's having fun. She was at some kind of museum today and they had a military section. She said it reminder her of you and wished you'd been there to see it all."

Steve stayed pressed to Danny's side. "Maybe you and I should get our chance to take Grace away on a vacation. I mean, it's only fair, right?"

"Rachel took her to see Stan in Las Vegas, it's not exactly a vacation, but yeah, that would be nice," he turned away from the food he was preparing and tilted his head up for a proper kiss. When they pulled back he cleared his throat. "So have I waited long enough before broaching the subject of Restrepo?"

Steve smiled, licked his lips. "Yes, we've both shown calm restraint. Your therapist would be proud."

"So what happened?"

"He gave up a few names he knew off the top of his head. I wanted proof though, especially of anyone in the States so that we could co-ordinate raids on properties and see what's going down. He pointed us in the direction of the Reyes' business venture in Japan. Waiting to hear back from the authorities there over what they find."

Danny took it all in with a straight face. "That everything?"

"Sure."

"What happened to letting me know what was going on?" He waved a hand about.

"I'm telling you now," Steve hedged, sensing Danny might be getting pissed off at him again.

"Typical," Danny slammed a fist onto the worktop, harder and louder than he'd meant. "You swan in and break the guy with some kind of Navy SEAL ninja voodoo and then go into a military code of silence for the Op and suddenly, it's all finished."

"Well, it's not entirely finished. We need to make sure what he gave us is solid info."

"What did you do, huh? I threatened his kid and he still didn't give me anything but attitude."

"Let's not go into that. I mean it," Steve rushed to say before Danny could argue. "I don't particularly want to discuss it and I don't want you to know about it. That's the protective side of me that I won't back down on, okay?"

"Okay," Danny agreed, sensing a mood and seeing a look in Steve's eyes that was different. One he'd maybe only fleetingly seen in the past and considering how well Steve was doing over not shielding Danny from the world, he could let this one thing drop. "It just feels… anti-climactic."

"Danny, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have come as far as we have," Steve assured him. "You went undercover, you got Marco Reyes, we took down Pedro, you put two and two together on Delano's input and got Restrepo. All in all? This whole thing hinged on you. I'm proud of you."

"Even after everything you've just said, it still feels like I haven't done anything. Like it's unfinished."

"Trust me, when the dust settles, you'll have closure," Steve rubbed Danny's back and pulled him further into a hug; one that was only broken at the sound of the pot hissing as it boiled over onto the oven top.

After eating dinner and tidying up, they settled on the couch, curled up and watching TV for a while. Steve's arm was slung over Danny's shoulder and he seemed unable to keep it still, either flexing his hand or rubbing his knuckles lightly over Danny's collarbone. 

After a good while of the uncharacteristic fidgeting, Danny caught hold of Steve's hand and held it in his own, his thumb tracing over worn knuckles and he realized that Steve's hand was stiff and sore, even if there were no outward bruises. It made Danny's breath hitch. Steve had spent all that time in a rendition room with Restrepo and whether he'd used verbal intimidation or physical… or both… he'd got the results. Whatever he'd done haunted him, but it just added to an already off-balance pile of crap in Steve's head. There was no way to fix it, just like there was no way to 'fix' Danny of whatever demons he had after everything, but there were ways to comfort him, to distract him, to make him feel warm inside.

He kissed Steve's fingers, then lifted and turned, straddling the other man, surprising him. 

"What are you doing?" Steve asked, arms out to the sides, unsure where to put them. 

He was going to answer with a smart-assed comment but then he snapped his jaw shut, stretched his lips to the side and ran his hands down Steve's chest. "I've been thinking," he started. 

"Good or bad?" 

"Good, all good, I promise," Danny reassured him. "About sex."

"Okay, look, I know we've done a few things since everything, but there's no rush, Danny. What they did to you was traumatic and I get that you're uncomfortable, so just tell me to back off and I'll back off."

"But that's the thing. How do I get past the discomfort unless I…?" He trailed off, unable to find the right words. 

"Tape over it?" Steve asked, remembering their analogy from the night before. At Danny's nod, Steve continued. "Have you talked to your therapist about this? Maybe she has some ideas. Timescales or something."

Danny wrinkled his nose. "I don't want to talk to my therapist about it. What's wrong with trying out my own ideas? Last night was fine."

"Last night all we did was jack off. We've been a lot more… adventurous… in our time."

"Exactly. And I want to get back to that. We can still take baby steps. But I liked adventure, you know? After doing a lot of things with my body for the undercover gigs and just… walking through them like a zombie, you actually made me enjoy things again. Sex, I mean. After Rachel I think I began to see it as a weapon, or just purely scientific - reproduction, you know - but with you?" He moaned as he rolled his hips encouragingly over Steve's cock. He was already half hard - a Pavlovian response to having Danny straddle him. "Babe, with you I could never get enough." He cupped Steve's jaw as he kept up a lose back and forth movement. "I don't want to lose any of what we had before."

"You won't lose it, I promise," Steve turned his head and kissed the tip of Danny's thumb. "But we've gotta do it right. When we get to things."

"I mean it when I say that I really want your dick is my ass. I want you fucking me like there's no tomorrow. But I'm not stupid, I know I'm not quite ready for that yet."

"Whatever you want, Danny. I'll make it good for you, I promise," Steve's hands rolled over Danny's ass and as much as he wasn't ready for anything inside him yet, he was only too happy to indulge however he could in Steve's love of various body parts and he smiled as he bent his head to lick along Steve's chin with small flicks of his tongue. He rubbed his nose against Steve's then slotted their mouths together, hot breath and wet tongues delving and tangling.

Steve's arms held him close as he rocked slowly on top, clothing coming off until they were shirtless and their pants were being fumbled at for space. 

"This might be better in a bed," Steve murmured in Danny's ear as he latched onto the lobe with his teeth. 

"More comfortable," Danny agreed, but they didn't make any move, instead keeping up a sensual movement and losing themselves in just being together.

Eventually, Danny pulled back enough to get to his feet, holding his hand out for a dazed looking Steve. 

"Bed," he said, and that one simple word was enough to get Steve moving. 

They couldn't keep their hands off each other as they made their way up the stairs, Steve holding onto Danny from behind, arms snaking around him, while Danny pushed back into him, arms up and gripping behind Steve's neck, closing his eyes, trusting Steve to steer them in the right direction. 

They made it to the base of the bed. Steve bent low and thrust his groin into Danny's ass, making him almost lose his footing. Danny gasped and Steve tensed, worried he'd done something wrong, until Danny turned his head into Steve's and whispered his okay. 

They finished undressing, leaving the rest of their clothes in a mixed up pile and Danny crawled backwards onto the bed, Steve following, knees between Danny's and a teasing smile on his face. 

He nipped at Danny's lips as they settled themselves and he lazily lowered himself on top, biceps taut as he held his body above Danny's. In the low light of the room, everything around them faded from existence. Nothing but them and the bed existed, all of it in an orange hue from the lamplight outside the closed curtains. 

Their cocks lining up against each other, trapped between them, Steve began to move, friction drawing their attention. Danny let his head fall back and Steve bent to lay reverent kisses from his collarbone and up his neck.

"I love you," he murmured before sealing their mouths together again. 

Danny snaked a hand between them, fingers curling around Steve's dick, helping him along. "You want to fuck me, right?" he nodded encouragingly at Steve and he felt the heat in the man's gaze and it pooled deep inside him and made him want everything he always wanted. "Maybe… maybe we say to hell with it and I get to give you what you want huh? Maybe I get to feel you fill me up."

As much as the thought clearly pleased Steve, he shook his head. "That's you thinking with your little head," he said, pointedly, breathily as he mostly concentrated on Danny's hand on him, smearing pre-cum over both of their cocks. "You've never been able to think straight when you get like this."

"What? Turned on by you?"

"Exactly," Steve all but giggled at the question. "We'll get there. I promise. There's nothing I want more. But I also want everything, and there's plenty we can do before we get to that item on the list, yeah?"

"There is," Danny smirked. "I could blow you. I know how much you like that. You love my mouth."

"I do, your mouth distracts me like crazy," he agreed, fingers coming to Danny's face to touch over his lips. Danny's tongue snuck out to lick against them, then sucked two digits in.

"Sit up," Danny ordered him and Steve got to his knees and leaned back on his arms. Danny got himself onto all fours and crawled nice and close, one hand braced on Steve's thigh while the other loosely pumped his cock. He spat on it, mingling his saliva with Steve's pre-cum and rolling his thumb over the tip. 

With the feeling of Steve's hand splayed on his back he dipped in, opened his mouth and sucked Steve in. He could feel Steve being careful not to thrust, to let Danny take control and he appreciated it. Part of him wanted Steve to take over, to fuck his mouth, to do as he wanted. Another wanted to stay in control, to have the say, to enjoy sending Steve wild with lust and a desperation to come. He liked that he was the one who had that power.

He knew where it was coming from. He was taking back the power he'd thought was lost to him when others had used his body as they wanted. But a part of him had always given himself to Steve. They'd often played around, especially with that side of Steve who wanted to keep control over his entire life and who enjoyed his dominant bedroom side. Danny was no submissive, but he certainly had fun watching Steve be aggressive in the bedroom. It always made him shudder with need through his whole body. 

But right now what he needed was power and control. Not to hurt or harm but to share. That was the difference between what happened to him and what he had with Steve. Even when one of them played at being in charge, it was about sharing, about mutual enjoyment. 

He felt some kind of bliss to know that wasn't lost. But he needed to be the one in charge first. Then down the line, he'd let Steve have that aspect again, once they were comfortable.

He could feel Steve sink his knees further into the bed, allowing him to free his other hand to touch Danny. He grabbed into his hair, grasping the strands but not pulling, while his other hand ran up and down Danny's spine, fingers dipping just to his crack but never doing more than rubbing gently at his hole before leaving it alone. Just enough to know he was there, to trust that all he was trying to do was make Danny feel good at his own pace. 

He lost track of how long he'd been blowing Steve for, so focused on his thoughts, but also on his tongue, on the taste of Steve on it, on the suction and on those little moans and gasps emanating from Steve's throat. 

"Baby, oh God, that's it… right there, fuck you know how to use that mouth. You know how to wind me up like crazy. Oh fuck, Danny, please… just a little more, I want to come, please…" Danny would have smiled if not for the fact he had a mouthful of cock. 

He sat up, his hand taking over, pumping Steve harder and faster.

"Make me come, sweetheart," Steve encouraged, his hands gripping at Danny's hips. "So close… so… just…"

Danny cupped a hand over Steve's dick while the other furiously jacked him through his orgasm until he fell forward, spent, his sweaty forehead resting on Danny's shoulder. After a few moments, he turned his head into Danny's neck and hummed. 

"Good, babe?" Danny asked.

"Always," was the contented answer he got. Steve pulled back. "Did I get cum on you?"

"I caught it," Danny said. The hand that was over Steve's dick had captured the cum from going anywhere on them. He held it up so Steve could see the shiny stripes over his palm. 

"I'll get a cloth, we can wash it."

"No," Danny stopped him. "I wanted to."

"Wanted to what?" Steve asked, concerned but curious. 

"I've never balked at this before," Danny said. "And I don't want to start going down that road. I don't want to let the ideas fester and get worse in my mind."

"You mean…" Steve leaned back a little and took a breath. "You mean about Pedro and his… bottle."

"Yeah," Danny said. "His way of doing it was pretty sick, but it's been normal for us in the past. I've done it before. There's been plenty of times you've come down my throat."

"So you want to eat it?"

"That was my plan."

"That's why you wanted to blow me. Not that I'm complaining."

"Kinda," Danny answered, then lifted his hand up, fingers sticky with the fluid and he sucked them into his mouth in full view of Steve, whose mouth dropped open at the sight. 

"If I could get hard again so fast, I would. That's hot."

Danny stretched his tongue out and made a show of licking up the center of his palm to finish, then licked his lips. "You find that hot?" He asked, using bedroom tease mode in his voice, but genuinely curious as to why Steve thought as he did. 

"Yeah," Steve breathed. "My cum inside you has always been a turn on. You enjoying it? Even more so." He reached out for Danny and held him close. "Makes me feel closer to you. More a part of you."

Danny melted for a moment, felt a warmth rush through him, but he cocked an eyebrow instead. "From cum?"

Steve laughed. "Mock me all you want."

"Oh, I will," Danny nodded then gasped with Steve's hand reached for his half hard cock. "Oh," he said again, unable to say much more but perfectly happy for Steve to show that part of his anatomy some attention. It helped cement more ideas in his head linking Steve's cum with pleasure. 

"I'm not planning to forget about you. I suggest you lie down, and let me have my turn," he pushed Danny back until his head hit the pillow. His legs were bent and his feet pushed into the mattress to bring his cock up closer to Steve's mouth, meeting him halfway as he lay between Danny's legs and began to pay very close attention to him. 

He licked and sucked along the shaft, soft kisses to the tip before moving back down and mouthing his balls. His fingers joined, rolling the sacks as he began his journey back to the head of Danny's cock and swallowing him in. The wet heat was perfect and Danny lifted up each time Steve drew back, the other man allowing Danny to do what he wanted, what he needed, showing his trust that Danny wouldn't do anything he couldn't take. 

It wasn't long before he was spurting into Steve's mouth and the other man swallowed, watching Danny as Danny watched him, eyes on his Adam's apple bobbing with the movement. 

He crawled up over Danny then collapsed beside him. "You see?" he said. "Plenty of other ways to enjoy ourselves. All sorts of sexual exploits to have."

Danny stared at the ceiling. "Sex isn't going to trigger me. _They_ would, you know? Marco and Pedro. It was them who did whatever they did and they forced…" He stopped for a moment, breathing in, keeping his emotions at bay. "They forced me."

Steve turned into Danny, holding him. "I've got you," he murmured soothingly. 

"I know I've never called it rape, and I don't think I ever can. Call it a crappy coping mechanism or whatever. But they did force me to do things I didn't want to do. At first everything was about my cover identity and what he would do, but with Pedro, he knew that was fake and tried to hurt the real me. And I know you wouldn't do that," he turned his head into Steve's.

"Never," Steve answered. "I'd die first."

"I trust you, Steve. I did before this and you stood by me. We disagree but I always know that you're doing everything from a place of love. I wouldn't be able to do any of this with anyone else," he gestured over their naked bodies. 

"I should hope not. I plan to marry you, which means you better not be remotely thinking about sleeping with anyone else," Steve pointed out, a curl to his lips and jovial bounce in his eyes. 

"You know what I mean," Danny batted at Steve's shoulder.

"I have a magic dick," Steve's smug look was annoying, even in it's endearingly happy distraction.

"Fuck off," Danny laughed. "You do not have a magic dick."

They lay in companionable silence for long minutes. Danny thought Steve was falling asleep, until he piped up. "You have no idea what it means. That you trust me that much to not hurt you. To not even slip and do it accidentally."

Danny reached over and took Steve's hand in his and as they curled in on each other, they finally slept.


	28. Chapter 28

The days began to pass at what felt like a more normal rate. Danny was still frustrated because things didn't happen instantly. The Japanese police had been working hard from their end and now there were more leads across the world that had led to the co-operation of a few different national and international agencies. 

There had been no official word on… 'survivors'. Danny just hoped there were people out there who would be found and helped. Returned home. Whatever they needed. He was convinced there would be and he just needed to be patient. Or so he'd been told. 

Both he and Steve prepared that morning as usual only both donned uniforms that seldom saw the light of day. Though Steve didn't need to, he wore his dress blues while Danny wore his full uniform that still carried the crest for the Newark P.D.

Fryer's funeral was as to be expected. A sea of uniforms and black as he was laid to rest. Tears from his family and somber faces on friends and co-workers. For Danny's part, as saddened as he was to see an officer dead, one that he knew well, he was frustrated due to a lack of answers. He knew there was more to this whole thing than Fryer had ever let on, but he was at a loss to be able to explain it all now. And he had to believe that maybe what was hidden from him had been solved - the Reyes' were gone, criminals were all being rounded up and sent down and victims were rescued. If there was anything else hiding in the quagmire this case had become, he hoped it stayed hidden, lost. 

The crowds began to part. Those heading to the wake were leaving, others mingled to shake hands. Danny told Steve to go with Chin and Kono while he spoke to a few of the officers and team members that he knew better than the rest of Five-0 did. 

When he shook Captain Nahua's hand the man asked him to take a brief walk with him. "Have you thought more about our offer?"

"It's been one of the most prominent things on my mind the last few days," Danny admitted. 

"You're a good cop, Danny. One of the best around. Honest, hard working, dedicated. I think it would be a good move for you. Money and promotion aside, it's work you know. I think you'd get a great deal of satisfaction in the role. You want justice for these people on the streets. I admire that."

"Thank you," Danny said, accepting the compliments. "But there's more to it. Money and promotion aside… I've got a good thing at Five-0. Good team, good partner."

"Comfort is a difficult thing to leave behind, Danny. I get that. But taking this new job doesn't mean losing your friends. And with you and McGarrett living together, hell, maybe spending some time apart professionally will be good for you."

"Maybe. You know you're not the first person to ever tell us that," Danny cracked a smile. One of his main points in the 'pros' column for taking the job was that maybe he and Steve could use some time not being partners. He was still concerned as to how their attitudes to each other - their desperate need to protect each other - could harm them in the field. And if Danny didn't think they could reconcile that notion, then it could be the thing to make the final decision for him. 

"I know you won't be medically cleared for a while longer, but it would be good to know if I have a new team leader before the up and comers start taking over the neighborhoods."

"I understand. You'll have my decision by the weekend."

*

"Have I ever told you how hot you look in that uniform?" Steve asked from where he was leaning back against the car. 

Danny squinted into the sun as he got closer. "Ditto. But you do realize we're at a funeral, right? It's not exactly appropriate to talk about your festishes."

"It's not a fetish," Steve said.

"So you're not imagining me riding your pretty cock while still wearing all this?" Danny gestured down his body as he teased. 

Steve's hand snaked out and wrapped around Danny's waist, pulling him closer. "Okay, maybe it's a bit of a fetish. Come 'ere," he murmured as he tightened his hold around Danny, ducking in for a kiss while taking off his cover with his other hand so that it didn't bump and get in the way.

"It's still inappropriate," Danny teased against Steve's lips as he spoke. "Get in the car."

"Back or front?" Steve grinned with a wiggle of his eyebrows. 

"Front," Danny warned as he pulled back, slapping Steve's shoulder. 

They got in; Steve taking the drivers' seat, as usual. Once they were on the road and back home, Steve glanced over to a now more serious looking Danny. "Something on your mind?"

"Hmm?" Danny turned his head, roused from his thoughts. "Oh, I guess."

"Maybe I can help?"

Danny took a breath through his nose. "Just thinking about funerals like this. Ones I've been at, ones of cops - of partners - that meant a whole lot to me. Meka. Grace… thinking about if it would happen again."

"Not on my watch it won't."

"You can't control that," Danny said pointedly. "I'm just… the last thing I want is to be responsible for it either."

"This is about what I said," Steve kept glancing over to him, more so as they came to a stop at a red light. "About prioritizing you."

"It raises some questions. That's unavoidable. Is our personal relationship affecting our professional one?"

Steve was silent for a long time. So much so, that Danny was beginning to think the conversation was completely over, until they pulled up at HQ and Steve turned the engine off. 

"I love you," Steve started, turning in his seat to face Danny more. "When I brought you onto Five-0, we'd already slept together. Okay, it was a case, but we had and everyone on this team knew about it and knew we were going to continue sleeping together. My point is, we founded our partnership on the way our personal life intersected with it. I don't want to lose that. I want you as my husband and I want you as my partner."

"And what if something happens? Like before… what if you're backed into a corner and have to make the difficult decision."

"I make the decision that gets us all out of there alive. That's my job as the team leader." He reached over for Danny's hand. "It's like I told you. I feel terrible for the thoughts that went through my head but I'm happy that I got all of us to safety by making the decisions that I did."

"When you say that, it still makes me want to punch you in the face," Danny replied, a hard edge to his voice as Steve pulled his hand back like it had been burned. 

"I know, I'm sorry," Steve said quietly, his guilt shining through and Danny knew Steve would be feeling that way for a long time to come. Just like he'd have to stop his own knee-jerk response to those thoughts, that Steve tactically waited and let Danny be abused.

"At the same time, I know why you did it. I know why you feel that way. It all makes perfect sense. It's just…"

"It hurts," Steve filled in. 

"Yeah," Danny agreed. "And I don't want to be put in that position again. Any of us. And I don't know how to prevent that, if we're on the same team."

"What does that mean?" Steve asked. "Is this about me getting mad and you helping out at HPD instead?" Steve looked around them, unseeing, remembering something. "I saw Captain Nahua talking to you. What did he say? Did he offer you something?"

"Steve you do remember you fired me, right? He took me on to consult so that I could still be a part of the case."

"I didn't fire you," Steve started. "I did what I thought I had to so that you'd be safe. To get you to stay away. We've talked about this, I know I was trying to control things too much, but I didn't 'fire' you. If I had, I would have known. Trust me. There's a ream of paperwork to go with something like that."

"Well, everyone thought you did. Me included," Danny sighed as he opened the car door and got out.

"You're Five-0, Danny. Ohana. That means something."

"It does," Danny agreed as they began to walk inside. "And my decision will be made with that in mind."

Steve went quiet, obviously upset at the thought of Danny leaving the team, probably partly blaming himself for the possibility in the first place. He'd done something that had led to the offer Danny received, even if Steve didn't know what that offer was. But Danny could tell Steve was going to stubbornly hang on to his team as it was. There was no way he'd let anyone mess with Five-0, but if moving on was what Danny decided to do, then he'd stand by him.

"Anything new?" Steve asked as they walked into their offices, the others having beaten them back. 

"Yes, actually," Chin turned from where he was by the tech table and shot Danny a smile. "We got word from both Japanese and Moroccan authorities. Turns out, they've got some of our citizens who were sold as slaves to some wealthy businessmen in their countries. Our paper trails and intel gave them the leads they needed to arrest these guys."

"That is very good news," Danny said, letting out a breath he felt like he'd been holding for days. "Do we know who they are?"

"They gave me some IDs, one in particular, I think you'll be glad to know they found," Chin waved his hand over the computer and flipped a picture up onto the screen. 

"Coco," Danny said. "Thank God. I really hope she's okay. Are they sending her back home?"

"She's on a plane already. No word from them as to if she's been hurt or what happened. They expect to arrive within a couple of hours."

"But she's alive. That's something," Danny said. "Any word on Francesca?"

"Nothing yet," Kono put her hand on Danny's arm. "But there's still active investigations in Colombia, Argentina, the UK, France and more. None of us are done looking yet."

"I know. Thank you," he put his hand over Kono's until she slid it away. He turned to Steve. "So I know I'm not working because… medical leave. But I need to go down to the Golden Palace. Check the area."

"Why?"

"I want to find Chloe and Connie. See how they are, and I want to be the one to tell them we found Coco. Those three considered themselves family, they have a right to know. Coco didn't have anyone else. They should be there to meet her when she gets home. If they want to, that is."

"Okay," Steve said. "But let's get changed first."

*

They sat together in the car, parked up the street from the club, but within full view of it and the neighborhood while they scanned around the place for familiar faces. Just because there was no real boss, no pimp controlling the place, didn't mean people wouldn't be working the corners. Or that some lower level guys were starting a take over of the area.

After ten minutes or so of quiet that was unheard of in a stakeout that Steve and Danny shared, Steve broke the silence. "Are you sure you're okay being here?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Danny asked absently, looking out the opposite window. 

"Bad memories. Delano, Reyes…" When Danny only shrugged he continued. "Sometimes people get triggered by places. Where things happened to them."

"I know that, I'm just concentrating," Danny narrowed his eyes as he looked further up the street. "I think I see them. Come on," he moved to open the car door but Steve's hand on his forearm stopped him. 

"Wait a second," Steve said and then reached into his pocket and took out a Five-0 badge. "Here."

"I'm still on medical leave. Not officially working." Danny stated, not taking the badge from Steve's hand. 

"You're still Five-0 and we're here on official business, so you can wear this badge rather than the HPD one that's in the glove compartment," Steve gave him a steady look and Danny answered it with one of his own, question silent between them. "I found it, okay? I didn't go purposefully looking for anything more than a tissue to blow my nose and I found it."

"Is this some kind of statement? Making me wear the Five-0 badge over the HPD one to, I dunno, stake a claim?"

"You still work for Five-0. Until you decide otherwise," Steve was done waiting and instead leaned over his seat and grabbed the waistline of Danny's pants and pushed the badge on.

"If I go out there wearing a badge, it blows my cover," Danny warned.

"Your cover was blown anyway. A lot of people we took down know you're a cop and word gets out fast, especially amongst inmates."

"But we don't know for sure that it's reached here."

"Doesn't matter," Steve stated. "You're done with undercover work. 'Danny Wallace' doesn't exist anymore, just Danny Williams. Even if you decide to leave Five-0 and take another job, you'll still not be going undercover."

"Because my boyfriend said so?"

"Pretty much," Steve nodded. "I know you're not fond of me controlling things. Well, outside of the bedroom sometimes," Steve gave a glint of a smile. "But in this case, I think we agree. No more undercover. Certainly never again as a prostitute."

Danny took a moment, saw the sincerity in Steve's eyes, the worry etched on his face and he knew he didn't want to put either of them through an undercover gig like this again. "Yeah, you're right. No more."

"Come on," Steve gestured and they got out, Danny fully aware of the weight of the badge on his hip, more so than ever before, as they walked side by side up the street. There were a few people around, ones who might recognize Danny, but all just glanced his way and then avoided him, not wanting to get involved.

Steve held back a little as they got closer. Once the girls saw Danny and recognized him, there was a squeal of delight from Chloe. She always was the more hyper of the 'diamond Cs' anyway.

"Danny! Oh my God, you're okay!" She ran over as fast as her huge heels could allow and wrapped herself around him in a tight hug. "We thought they'd taken you, or killed you or something."

"There were a lot of rumors this past week," Connie said as she took her turn hugging him, though hers was more careful. When she pulled back she looked down at his hip where the badge was. "That was one of them," she pointed at it. 

"I'm sorry, girls."

"Are you here to arrest us?" Chloe asked, worried, her eyes over his shoulder and to the bulk of Steve standing there. "Hey, I recognize you, too, don't I?"

Steve shook his head and remained impassive. 

"He's uh, he's my partner. I was the one undercover. And no, I'm not here to arrest you. I wanted to come and see if you were okay. I know a lot has gone down recently. The cartel that owned this neighborhood got rounded up. I wanted to make sure you were both safe."

"We're fine. It's been a bit of a free for all and no one has gone near the Palace except some gangbangers who want to use it as a den. We've just been doing our own thing, staying out of other people's ways."

"You know I can help you. If you want. Get you out of this kind of life," he offered. 

"It's really all we know," Connie said. 

"You girls helped me out a lot when I was around here, I just want to return the favor. I know some good people, they work with a women's shelter, they can give you someplace safe to stay and help you find jobs, get you on your own two feet without having to worry about this kind of place. No pimps, no gangbangers, no junkies."

The girls looked between each other. "Can we think about it?"

"Of course. How about you do that on the way to the airport?"

Chloe took a step back. "What do you mean?"

"I came here for another reason. You told me about Coco disappearing along with others. The cartel sold her, sent her away to another country to be a sex slave. We found her and they're bringing her home. I know you girls are like family, I wanted you to be the first to know."

Chloe burst into tears and doubled over in a mix of joy, relief and concern for what her friend had been through. Connie was more in shock than anything, stray tears falling and Danny matched them. He felt like he'd made a difference. In this moment. Knowing he'd helped this misfit family, he felt like something good had come out of everything. 

Chloe threw herself at Danny again, hugging him tight and thanking him over and over. She let go and rushed to hug Steve too, who stood stock still, unsure what to do when a prostitute threw herself at him. Danny almost laughed at his expression but turned back to Connie. 

She came closer and took his face between her hands. "Danny, you are an angel. How did we get so lucky as to have you looking out for us, huh?" She kissed his cheek and he rubbed her arms.

"Just do me a favor and take care of each other. And get out of this life. You all deserve so much better than street crawling."

She nodded and wiped at her nose and eyes with the back of her hand. "Can we go see her? Do you know what happened to her?"

"No, they've not said. But I know that she'll need your help getting past whatever she's been put through. And be patient with her as she tries to get back to normal."

Steve came closer, Chloe still half clinging to his side. "There's a patrol car down the street. They're here to see you to the airport and then to the hospital. Where you girls want to go after that is up to you but," he pulled out a couple of cards and handed them over. "I suggest you call these people. Like Danny said. They'll help in every way they can to get you on your feet."

"You're not coming with us?" Chloe asked, moving to cling to Danny's arm again.

"No," Danny took a breath. "We've got something to do."

The girls took off down the street towards the police car, not wanting to waste time in getting to their friend, but Chloe stopped and came running back over to Danny, stopping short of him, looking unsure. 

"Danny, we know they hurt you. Everyone here heard stuff and you look like crap… you didn't have to keep helping but you did. I don't know what we could offer, but if you need anything…"

"Thanks, honey," Danny said and beckoned her into one last hug before she disappeared off down the street again, anxious to get to her friend. As strange as it was to anyone on the outside to think that a family could form in a place like this, those three girls were proof. They loved each other and looked out for each other. Kept safe together. It weighed heavily on the other two when Coco was taken and Danny had seen that from the moment he'd returned. They needed each other to all be whole and healthy. They were Ohana. And Danny had one of those of his own and knew how important it was. 

Hearing them thank him like they had, it had made his heart swell again and he felt like what had happened along the way had been good. Even during the worst of it because it led to all these outcomes. He thought of Steve, about how he'd considered the different sacrifices he might have made and Danny knew now - he knew that at the time they did the right thing, even if he wished in hindsight that they'd made a different choice. 

Who knew if it was actually possible for the outcome to be better than it was. Or worse. Hindsight meant nothing, not really. What mattered was the moment and the decisions taken at that time and if they could live with them. And that would be the same going forward - if he could do the right thing, if both of them could. And he knew intrinsically that they could do it, could make the difficult decision if they thought it led to the best outcome. Because broken bones would mend and bruises would fade. Whatever else they might go through, so long as they had support on the other end of it, then they'd be okay.

He took calming breaths as he watched the two girls get into the car. He looked around himself at the familiar street corner and felt a squeeze on his hand as Steve slipped in close beside him, offering his support. 

"It's frustrating," Danny began and Steve waited patiently for him to continue. "Just knowing that you can get rid of a criminal, get him behind bars, but that there's always someone in the wings waiting to take over that spot. Climb the ladder. Like an infestation you just can't get rid of. Neighborhoods like this, you want to help them, but there's only so much you can do."

Steve squeezed tighter, thumb caressing over Danny's wrist. "You still helped though. No matter who winds up taking over that building," he gestured with his head at the Golden Palace. "You helped those girls out. You exposed one hell of a size of human trafficking ring. You'll be due a commendation for this."

"You were right," Danny said. "I am beginning to feel some kind of closure, you know. For getting Coco back, no matter what she's been through. Helping at least some people. Even if the neighborhood as a whole will still be in the grip of lowlifes."

"Come on, let's go," Steve tugged at Danny's hand. "And you never have to come back here again."

"Might do," Danny shrugged as they headed back to the Camaro. "If I take the job offer from HPD."

"What exactly did they offer you anyway?" Steve asked as they drew nearer.

"Nahua wants me to take Fryer's place. Run the human trafficking task force."

"That's," Steve swallowed, hands gripped together as he leaned over the top of the car. He wasn't happy, but he was doing what he could to stay calm. He clearly didn't like the prospect of Danny taking the job, probably for a multitude of reasons. "That's a good job. Promotion. Your own team," he said, not giving in to saying what he really wanted to and trying to be supportive, which Danny appreciated.

"It would be good. But I'm still weighing up my options."

"You really want to keep working Vice cases? Coming to places like this and running down pimps? Or heading to the docks and keeping track of the boats coming in?"

"You don't want me to," Danny stated the obvious. 

"I don't," Steve agreed, but continued to keep his actual thoughts to himself, opened the car door and got in. 

"Steve, you're important to me. Your opinions matter to me. I know you want me to stay with Five-0."

"We're family. Ohana. But more than that, I just… I don't want you in Vice anymore. I don't think it's good for you. If something came up in another department then maybe. But Vice? You need to cut those ties after all this."

"It's still a step up and could lead to other things. It could help me make Captain. Get my own precinct."

"If this is about promotion and earning more money, there's no reason why you can't make Lieutenant while still at Five-0. From there you could leap to Captain, you don't need to go elsewhere for that."

"Maybe," Danny agreed. "Can we let this go for the moment? I'm about to head into an hour of therapy where I'm going to be forced to do some introspection and that's enough for one day."

*

Steve had dropped Danny off at the doctors and then gone back to work. Danny had told him not to bother coming to pick him up again. It wasn't far away from HQ and he wanted to take some time to walk and let his mind settle, to think about a few important things, now that he felt he was truly beginning to put things behind him and he knew he had to think seriously about the future. Steve had agreed, albeit reluctantly. 

It was two hours later, after Danny had finished in therapy for the day and wandered around the streets in the sunshine that he found himself sitting on a bench outside the Hale when Steve walked up and sat next to him. 

Danny didn't bother to ask how Steve knew he was here. He had a feeling he'd been watching out of the window every so often or just had some weird Navy SEAL sixth sense about where Danny was. Or hell, maybe he'd pinged his cell phone again. He didn't know, but he wasn't worried. He knew Steve was just looking out for him and sometimes it felt really good to know that he'd go to all those lengths to do so.

"You okay?" Steve asked, arm warm against Danny's where they touched.

"Yeah, just thinking. Session was kind of rough today."

"You want to talk about it?"

Danny jutted his lip out in consideration but shook his head. "We talked about Fryer, the funeral. About getting Coco back, about being in that neighborhood again. About how I felt about it."

"And how was that?"

"I didn't let on to you at the time but I felt… stressed, I guess. On edge."

"I get that," Steve agreed. "It makes sense after everything. It's perfectly normal."

"I know," Danny shuffled his legs a little, uncrossing them. "I never thought I'd get much out of therapy but I think I am. I think it's been helping me come to terms with what happened. It's a process, or whatever, and it's slow, but I can see the merit in it."

"That's good."

"I want you to know that everything's going to be okay," Danny turned a little towards Steve. "I remember what I was like during it all and straight after at the hospital and I know it scared you. It scared me, too. I just want you to know it's not beating me. I'm okay. And the reason I'm okay is _**you**_." He lifted Steve's hand and kissed the back of it. "Thank you."

"You know I'd do anything for you, right?"

He closed his eyes then opened them to answer. "Yes." Danny looked at Steve expectantly. 

Okay, so it was an answer to his question, but it was also an answer to _all_ his questions and he just hoped Steve would realize that. He leaned in, hand going to lightly touch Steve's jaw as he guided him closer and kissed him. It was just a gentle touch of lips and he stayed close as he said it again. "Yes, Steven."

"Yes what?" Steve asked. 

"Just yes," Danny said again as he pulled back enough to look at Steve in the eyes, lifting his eyebrow, hoping Steve picked up on the meaning. 

It took a few confused seconds but Danny knew the moment Steve's face turned hopeful and excited. "Wait, you mean-"

"Yes," Danny repeated and broke out into a huge grin. "I mean 'yes'."

Steve grabbed for him, pulling him in tightly and kissing him again with more fervor and hell, more tongue. "I love you," he breathed against Danny's lips. "So much."

"I love you, too," Danny got in before Steve's lips were on his again, pressed tightly and uncoordinated while he smiled through it. 

"Wait," Steve pulled back then grabbed Danny's hand. "Come with me," he said and in the next moment, Danny was being dragged, practically running as they went into the Hale and straight up the stairs to the Five-0 offices. When they got through the glass front doors Steve was calling out for Chin and Kono.

They rushed forward, wondering what the commotion was about, worried something might be wrong. 

"I need your help," Steve told them, a serious expression flitting over his features. 

"Yes, of course," Kono said and Chin nodded his agreement. 

"I need you to watch, and listen. I need witnesses for this."

"What are you doing?" Danny groaned, hand still in Steve's.

Steve's attention was fully back on Danny and he sidled closer. "I've been asking you this for a while now and I just want to make sure I'm not imagining it. It also means that if they've seen it, you can't back out."

Chin hid a smile behind his hand, realizing the situation wasn't as serious as first thought.

"Should I be taking pictures as evidence?" Kono asked, raised eyebrows, humoring Steve.

"That would be a good idea. Grace will want to see," Steve said, then got down on one knee in front of Danny, hand still clutched in his own and he cleared his throat before looking up earnestly into Danny's eyes. "Danny, will you marry me?"

Danny took a moment, drew his top lip into his mouth to hold off on the threatening smile, but he couldn't stop it from breaking. He drew down, casting his shadow over Steve and used his free hand to frame his face. "Yes," he said, before closing the distance, pressing his lips to Steve's in a benedictory kiss, noses rubbing as they broke apart to the sound of whoops from Kono and clapping from Chin.


	29. Chapter 29

It was slow. Gentle, soothing, calming and agonizingly slow but perfect because all Danny could feel was Steve and there was nothing else in the way. The light in the room was low but clear, there was nothing but the sounds of the waves and distant cars or dog barks and the sun was heating the room nicely along with the press of their sweating bodies, making it humid in the room but in a way that just fueled them on.

Every touch of Steve's lips to Danny's body had purpose, and it seemed that was to drive him wild with want. He clutched onto Steve's elbows as their bodies rocked against the other, hard cocks trapped between. Steve's lips attached to Danny's neck as they trailed back up and over his jaw to reach his mouth until he could suck Danny's tongue in and bite his bottom lip.

Danny had been worked open with so much lube it made obscene noises and dripped all over the bed sheets. 

"You're all ready for me, baby, yeah?" Steve said, questioning but sure, considering how much Danny had already breathed his demands at Steve to hurry up and fuck him.

Danny nodded against him and Steve pinched his hip.

"Okay, up, on your knees," Steve ordered quietly, wanting this to continue being as perfect as possible. 

Danny was manhandled around until he was facing the headboard. He shuffled up close to it, his knees climbing up onto the pillows as he did so and his hands curled over the top of the frame as he glanced over his shoulder to see Steve pouring lube over his cock. As much as they both knew they were doing this to ease Danny's first time being penetrated since everything with Pedro Reyes, neither could deny that they enjoyed messy sex, so the amount of lube Steve had thrown all over the place didn't bother them. There were smears of it over Danny's hips and sides and ass cheeks as well as on Steve's thighs and stomach and it glistened in the early morning sun.

Steve pressed close with his whole body aligned down Danny's, one hand curled over a hip and the other on his own cock, rubbing it down between Danny's ass cheeks, the head of his cock swirling around Danny's open and ready hole and then gently pushing inside. Danny widened his stance and moved imperceptibly back to meet Steve's body. He moaned and arched his back, shoulders digging into Steve's collarbone, head on his shoulder. He reached a hand back, high and flailing until it grasped into the hairs at the nape of Steve's neck. 

Steve kept up his slow and gentle entry into Danny's body, pulling out a little before pushing further in, over and over again, restraint admirable until he was fully seated inside Danny, rolling his hips softly to keep the pressure against Danny's prostate and to hear him whimper at the contact while his hands moved over Danny so much that it felt like they were everywhere.

Steve smiled against Danny's ear. "There it is, baby. Feels good."

"Fuck, yeah," Danny answered rubbing his cheek under Steve's jaw. 

Steve hugged into Danny, their bodies sticking to each other, warm and tight. His arms wrapped around Danny and he stayed still except for the small movements in his hips as he rolled them into Danny's ass. 

Steve licked a stripe up behind Danny's ear. "Only for me, sweetheart. No one else, ever again."

"Yes, babe, yes," Danny breathed and tried to push back against Steve and pull forward at the same time but the arms around him were too tight, too unyielding for him to move. "Yes, yes, yes."

"I love hearing that word from your pretty mouth," Steve twisted his shoulder, nudging at Danny's head to turn more to him and their lips met in a sloppy, open kiss; noses bumping and tongues licking teeth and chins as they reached out for more, Danny's hand still scrunched in Steve's hair tried to pull him closer. "Hmmmmm," Steve hummed as he kissed Danny's jaw. "Gonna make you scream 'yes' over and over…"

"Please just fuck me," Danny whimpered, the pressure on his prostate, the slow movements inside him sending zings of pleasure through his body, into his nerve endings where Steve's hands and mouth just sent them flying through him again, blood blocking the sounds in his ears as he shook with need. "Please, please…. fuck…."

Steve gave a snap of his hips, more jerky than before and Danny wanted more. His own cock, hard and leaking all but ignored until Steve's hand brushed up it in light, tickling strokes. He shuddered, flesh goose-pimpling despite the heat and as Steve finally took hold of his cock and stroked it harder, he fell back into him, collapsing with his head lolling on Steve's shoulder. "That's it, melt into me, darling, I got you, I've always got you…"

Steve stroked Danny close but stopped and pulled his hand away, making Danny sob and almost choke on his breath as he began to complain; his protests silenced by a kiss as Steve's hands skirted up Danny's chest, pausing to rub against hard nipples before continuing on up and over his shoulders to hold on like restraints and then his hips moved, faster, faster, beginning to piston in and out of Danny making him cry out, long and continuous until he had no breath left and could only wheeze out, "Fuck yeah, yes, don't stop, don't stop."

"Not stopping, too good," Steve's teeth tugged on Danny's earlobe. "Come for me, baby, come for me, touch yourself."

Danny brought a hand to his dick and it felt so good, to have Steve inside him, holding tightly to him and touching himself to completion, feeling everything inside him tense up as he got closer, stroking harder, feeling every change in angle Steve took to drive into him. 

"I'm gonna- just a little bit- urgh," Danny growled. "Fuck yeah, fuckyeah, _fuckyeah_ ," he panted, falling forward in Steve's hold as he came, spurts of cum splashing against the headboard and up his own stomach and over his hand. 

Steve slowed, his cock still deep inside Danny, hard and needing but aware how sensitive Danny would be any minute and he took his time. He let go of Danny, hands coming down and round, holding Danny's ass cheeks apart just enough to give one last hard, deep thrust into him, deep as possible before pulling out. Danny could feel Steve's hard dick pressing against his lower back as he held himself up on the headboard.

"You need-"

"Not yet, baby, not yet," Steve interrupted him with hot breath on his neck. "Not done with you yet."

Danny shivered as he sunk onto the bed, partly from the cold sheen on his body but mostly from Steve's words and low tone. 

Steve pulled at the end of the bed sheet and used it to wipe over his own cock, letting Danny's body stay covered in mess. Danny had wanted that, had told Steve he wanted to get used to it again, to like it and he did. When it was because of Steve he most certainly did. And it was his own cum, and their lube-y mess and he didn't mind at all. Just like before. 

He cuddled into the pillow while Steve checked over his ass, making sure he hadn't been too rough, which Danny could have told him he hadn't been - it had all felt so good having Steve inside him. 

"Whatcha doing?" Danny mumbled into the pillow. 

"You know one of my favorite things is seeing your hole all open for me," Steve's hand gripped into Danny's cheek and then his fingers dipped into the crack and over it, one finger just pressing inside. "It's beautiful."

Danny shimmied a little further down the bed, pressing his ass back into Steve's finger. "If you like it so much, why not go to your toy box and get something to keep it open."

"You sure?" Steve asked. "I thought you wanted to take penetration slow."

"Feels too good with you to be slow. Just get something," Danny said and Steve didn't need telling again - he practically bolted out of the bed while Danny continued to let his breathing return to normal.

When Steve returned moments later, Danny could hear the sound of a cap coming off and knew Steve was lubing up again. 

"I'm pretty sure there's plenty lube inside me already," he said on a laugh. 

"Maybe, but you still need it for this," Steve smiled and Danny turned his head just enough to see that Steve wasn't holding a butt plug like he'd expected, instead it was a rubber dildo with balls. Danny widened his legs again and got his knees underneath himself. 

Steve was still hard and Danny wanted him to be able to enjoy what he needed. He felt the cool press of the rubber on his hole and it entered him just like Steve's dick had before, slow, steady, thrusting in and out and getting further each time until it was seating inside, rubber balls pressing against him. 

"I could have come just watching that thing go into you," Steve said as he moved to lie beside Danny.

"You could have just fucked me, I really wouldn't have minded," Danny's finger swirled a pattern over Steve's tattoo.

"I know but, I have an idea, you know, since slow seems to be going out of the window," he smirked at Danny who just tipped his head and narrowed his eyes.

"What kind of idea?"

"Just wait," Steve said, leaving the bed again and heading out of the room. While he was gone, Danny reached behind himself and gave a few experimental tugs on the dildo, in and out and then turned onto his back, making sure the base of it was flat against the bed and then arched his back and wiggled, letting the dildo touch against his insides. He thought he might get hard again, but it was a little too soon for that. It still felt really good though.

When Steve returned, he stood over Danny with raised eyebrows. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Hell yeah," Danny responded. "It's not as good as your dick, but it'll do."

Steve smiled and then climbed onto the bed, using his knees to get into position straddling Danny's chest and then he put what he was holding aside long enough to grab Danny's arms and control them, using his knees to hold them down onto the bed so he couldn't move them. Well, he could easily slip them out from under, but he wasn't going to. He was going to see what Steve had planned. 

Steve picked up the container again and held it so Danny could see what it was. "Vanilla ice cream?"

"I thought we could have some fun. Maybe this might help with the whole…. mess thing."

"You always did like making a mess of me," Danny smiled. He had a vague feeling of something coiling in his stomach but he pushed it aside because this was Steve and his intentions were good and they both knew exactly why it was vanilla ice cream they were going to use. 

Steve's hand grabbed into Danny's tousled hair. "Because you always look so good when we're done. So wrung out and all because of me." 

He shimmed a little higher up Danny's chest, knees pressed harder into Danny's biceps, making his hands tingle from the loss of blood flow but he didn't say anything, not when he could feel Steve's hard cock touching against his collarbone and up his neck, a rhythm starting as its softness rubbed against him. 

Steve opened the carton of ice cream and threw the lid aside. He dug the spoon in and took a big mouthful, humming around it as he swallowed before taking two more big spoonfuls and enjoying them. He then looked down at Danny and threw the spoon aside, too. "Don't think I need that."

He dug two fingers into the container and scooped some up before lowering it to Danny's mouth, letting it melt against his lips. Danny opened up, letting it dribble inside his mouth, tongue reaching out to meet Steve's fingers and lick them clean. Steve then dug his fingers back into the tub but more of them, all four, gathering a huge glob of the ice cream into his hand and then rubbing it over Danny's mouth, letting a large piece fall off into it before then trailing his fingers down over Danny's chin, into his neck and down over his own cock, the cold making him hiss but the jerking his hard cock did in response meant he certainly enjoyed it. 

"Rub it all in, babe, make it taste good," Danny urged Steve on. 

"It always tastes good, baby, you always love to suck on it," he growled back suggestively and Danny was only too happy to play along, to be dirty and needy for Steve. 

"Yeah it does, I love it so much, fuck my mouth, Steve, come on, let me taste it," he opened wide and waited, though Steve just rubbed his cock against Danny's neck again while putting more ice cream over it and letting it melt over him and down onto Danny's skin.

He put more into Danny's mouth, cooling it down and then lifted up using a hand to guide his dick closer so that Danny could taste it, the head slipping easily into his mouth, pre-cum and vanilla swirling together as he swallowed it down. 

Steve's hand tangled in his sweaty hair and held his head up while he sucked him, hands still immobile at his side, numbness setting in making it feel like they just didn't exist as he sucked and licked against Steve, keeping his mouth tight around him as he bobbed up and down. 

Steve brought more ice cream over and let it melt over his dick every time he pulled back. He used a finger to push into Danny's mouth beside it and let more of the vanilla liquid in. Danny kept swallowing but some leaked out, dribbling down his face as he determinedly got Steve closer to coming. 

Steve's thumb wiped across Danny's chin and he lifted it to his mouth, sucking the spit and vanilla in and moaning. "Oh yeah, baby, that's perfect, make me shoot into you, oh yeah, fuck."

Danny couldn't say anything but he didn't need to. Steve moved higher, closer, thrust in more and a moment later, with very little warning beyond huffs of breath and a few muttered curses, he climaxed, cum shooting into Danny's mouth. He pulled out but left just the head of his cock inside Danny's mouth as he used a hand to stroke himself until all of his cum was out. 

As he sat back on Danny's chest he watched as Danny spat the cum out, letting it drool down his chin. "Can I get my hands back now?" Danny asked and then Steve shuffled down like he'd forgotten he was restraining him and Danny shook his limbs to get the blood flowing again then wiped across his chin with the back of a hand as he leaned up on his elbows, looking to the side where the half empty tub of ice cream was still sitting. 

Steve's hand reached behind himself to where Danny's cock was half hard again. "You getting hard for me again? Can't get enough of me, huh? Need me to take care of you."

"With a dildo in my ass and your cock in my mouth can you blame me?"

Steve drew his bottom lip into his mouth and bit down on a moan as he stroked his hand up and down Danny's length. "I know you just can't help it. My dick turns you on so bad, doesn't matter if you just shot your load or not, you want more."

"From you, always," Danny let his head fall back to the pillow as Steve moved down the bed and settled himself between Danny's wide legs. He grabbed the carton of mushy ice cream again and lifted it over Danny's chest. He used a hand to stop the lumps from falling out but let the melted liquid out to fall in cold ribbons over Danny's chest, aiming for each nipple and making Danny huff in breaths each time. He put the tub down and used a warm tongue to lave against him, licking it up, replacing the cold with heat and making Danny arch his back into it, craving more of Steve's warmth to combat the chill. 

He opened eyes he didn't know were closed when he heard Steve laugh. He looked up to see that he was holding a round shape of ice cream in his hand: it had all come out at once when he'd tried to scoop out just a little. "Oops, oh well," Steve shrugged, laughter in his eyes. 

"That's almost half the carton in one. You wouldn't," Danny braced himself, because he knew Steve would. 

"I would," and there it was, the playful streak of evil in Steve and in the next moment he'd let the massive piece of ice cream fall from his hands and land on Danny's chest. He smushed it into Danny's chest hair while Danny just gasped repeatedly at the cold, struck dumb by it as he watched Steve's hands skate over him, the ice cream making a sticky wet mess all over his body and dribbling down his sides to the bed.

"Oh my God," Danny breathed out quickly. "I hate you so much."

"No you don't. You're marrying me. You love me."

"I might have to take it back."

"That's why I got witnesses. Too late, pal," Steve laughed then lowered himself over Danny, a creamy hand running through his hair and holding the back of his head steady while he leaned in for a kiss and then Danny felt Steve's chest collide with his own, rubbing the ice cream steadily between them and the vanilla smell assaulted their nostrils. 

Steve lifted back up, light yellow cream mottled over his chest and he ran his hands over it, then back over Danny's chest and down and over his still hardening dick and he used both hands, one after the other, over and down, stroking and petting him and then his mouth was there instead, sucking on Danny's cock and tasting the melted ice cream.

Danny lifted his hips, shifting the dildo inside him and he didn't know what part to concentrate on as he fisted his hands into the soggy bedclothes. 

Steve's hand fondled his balls then went lower, pushing at the dildo. Danny got his feet underneath himself and lifted his ass off the bed, allowing Steve to start fucking the dildo in and out of him as he sucked harder and harder on his dick and the dual sensation was overwhelming. The slow burn he'd had before, the dampening of the cold ice cream and the tiredness in his body had meant he couldn't get hard again fast but now the build was hurtling down on him. 

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, yes, oh, oh fuck… Steve…."

Steve's mouth popped off Danny's cock and he braced himself, getting his knees just right on the bed as he pumped the dildo harder and faster inside him and his hand took over on Danny's dick and the look of concentration on Steve's face, all of his energy on doing this for Danny… oh, God, it was pretty. 

"That's it, baby, you're going to come for me again, come hard."

"Oh God, I'm such a slut for you, oh God, make me come, feels so good, make me come…"

Steve fucked him even harder, faster and it was making Danny see stars as he erupted over Steve's hand, cum mingling with the remains of the ice cream and sweat over them. He collapsed back onto the bed, Steve still with his hands over him, pumping the last of his cum out of his dick, dildo still easing back as it rocked inside him.

He breathed steadily. Steve's hands now rubbing the insides of his thighs and asking him if he was okay. He didn't know where he got the energy from but he surged up from the bed, threw himself at Steve, arms flung around his neck as he attacked his lips with kisses. 

The dildo had been slipping out of Danny's body but Steve's hand on his ass pushed it back in, fingers exploring around the stretched skin, satisfied. He kept an arm around Danny as he repositioned them, getting himself sitting more comfortably with his back against the headboard as he held Danny close in their mushy mess.

Danny could feel his body sliding against Steve's as he settled against him. "I'll still marry you so long as you can promise me epic orgasms like that all the time."

"I can certainly do my best," Steve laughed, a hand carding through Danny's hair. "We need to shower. And change the bedsheets. And maybe wash the mattress cos this shit has probably soaked all the way through."

"Okay," Danny said, unable to move a little while longer. "Okay, shower first."

He eased his leg over Steve's and they both moved to stand together, Steve's hand still on Danny's ass, on holding the dildo inside him. 

"You going to take this thing out or what?" Danny asked, kissing Steve's chest. 

"Well, I had some ideas involving it, your wide open ass, the shower head and my mouth… but I understand if you want to continue taking things slow."

"I think the dam burst on our slow thing," Danny pressed his sticky body up against Steve's. "I'm up for more of this marathon sex session if you are."

"Is that a challenge? You know better than to use that against me…"

Danny shrugged. "You know, if I'd known this was how you'd want to celebrate our engagement I'd have said yes sooner."

"You think this is fun, just wait until the wedding night… and the honeymoon."

"Oh, fuck, yes," Danny pulled Steve's head down and kissed him until he couldn't breath.

*

"So how was the celebratory day off?" Kono asked around a mouthful of garlic shrimp as they all sat on a table outside Kamekona's shrimp truck.

"It was good," Danny hedged, sneaking a sly look at Steve, knowing that they'd pretty much spent the day having sex or recovering between bouts. 

"Do anything fun?" She asked, a picture of innocence though they all knew it was an act and she had their number. 

"We uh, you know, not much just… hung around the house, boring actually," Steve answered for them. 

"Boring?" Danny asked, mock affronted. "You're calling yesterday boring?"

"Now, no, I didn't mean it like that… boring… as far as these guys are concerned, you know?"

"Calm down, I'm just yanking your chain," Danny rubbed between Steve's shoulder blades. "Trust me, I know you weren't bored yesterday."

"That's right," Steve agreed. "I enjoyed every second," he nudged Danny's shoulder and then gave him a quick kiss, smile evident on his face.

"I dunno, must have been pretty tame if the neighbors didn't have to put out a noise complaint against you," Kono carefully lifted another shrimp into her mouth and eyed them up. 

"Kono, please, I'm eating," Chin moaned. 

"Like you've never had that happen?" Kono asked him. 

"No!" Chin lifted his shoulders and widened his eyes and Kono just shrunk back in her seat. 

"Just me then," she mumbled and Chin decided wisely to let that one slide. He really didn't need to know about Kono's love life, not in that much detail. "So you're looking much better now, Danny," she changed the subject. "When do the docs think you'll be back at work, 'cause we could really use a hand. Teasing Steve is never as much fun without you there."

"Uh, I dunno," Danny played with his food.

"He's not sure if he's coming back to Five-0," Steve answered, shifting his weight on the bench. "He got a better offer."

"I never said that," Danny admonished him. "It's a good opportunity, I needed to take the time to decide over it."

"Okay, hold on a minute," Kono stopped them and held up a hand and made a circular motion. "Here's the loop," she took her other hand and stretched it out far away from her other. "And here's where I am. What's going on here? Another job?"

"HPD wanted me to go back and take Captain Fryer's place as head of the human trafficking unit."

"That's a really great offer, congratulations, man," Chin reached his fist over the table and Danny bumped it, nodding his head in thanks. 

"Boss, you let Nahua poach from you?" Kono asked in disbelief.

"I didn't _**let**_ anyone do anything," Steve defended himself.

"Except you _did_ fire me," Danny pointed out. "He wouldn't have asked if he didn't think I was out of a job so really, this is your own fault."

"How many times do I have to tell everyone. I didn't fire you. I was mad and I told you to stay away from Five-0 but that was for while you were healing and stuff. I didn't _**fire**_ you!"

"It did kinda sound that way. With the whole 'you're out' thing you said," Chin backed Danny up on it, both of them enjoying seeing Steve squirm.

"Fine, okay fine," Steve put his fork down. "I will… budget in a raise for you and afford you the time to study for the Lieutenant's exam. I can't give you any other kind of promotion since that would be the job I already occupy so… yeah."

Danny studied Steve for a moment and then took his time. "Can I drive my own car more often?"

Steve waited a beat, looking around at the expectant faces and rolled his eyes to the heavens. "Okay, fine. You can drive more. Fifty-fifty."

"How about paying for gas and lunch?"

"I'll pay more often," Steve grumbled. 

"Kissing in the workplace? Or the looks, or the touching? I've told you more than a dozen times not to get handsy in our place of work."

"Now there, I draw the line. Unless you decide to wear a potato sack to work instead of ass hugging pants and shirts that look like they're about to pop at any moment, I can't be held responsible for my actions," Steve laid down the law with a much more serious look than expected for the subject at hand.

Danny mulled it over and took another bite of his lunch, wiping his hands on a napkin before saying anything more. "Okay, fine, I'll stay."

"To Five-0!" Kono proclaimed loudly, holding up her can of POG for a toast that the others joined in on. 

"Good decision, brah. You know we'd miss you too much," Chin told him. 

"I know. I'd miss you guys, too. Which is one of the reasons I told Nahua this morning that I wouldn't be taking the job."

"This morning?" Steve almost spluttered out his drink. "Did I just get played?"

"Very much so," Danny laughed and then pointed at their teammates. "But I've got witnesses. So you can't back out on your promises."

"What really made you say no?" Kono asked. 

Danny's face straightened out. "Grace," he said. "Working human trafficking and Vice means a lot of late shifts… starting at 3, ending at midnight, things like that. I barely get to see my baby girl enough as it is, I don't want to take a job that would lessen that."

Steve hugged him from the side and kissed into his hair. "Makes perfect sense," he told him. 

"That and I'd be stuck coordinating from the van all the time. I hate the van," Danny wrinkled his nose and it made Kono laugh again, lightening their moods. 

Five-0 was safe and bonded together at least a little longer. Chin was unlikely to be offered much from HPD. After everything, they liked to try and play nice with him and make things up with him in apology, but they still didn't particularly want him around and preferred to keep him on the fringes. Kono, too, to a degree by being the cousin who stuck by him, though she'd definitely be wanting to make detective in the future. 

Danny though, Danny might be offered something more once he made Lieutenant. He might be courted for Captain, but that was far enough in the future that they didn't need to worry about it right now. 

Things were good. The team were together and healthy. Danny had Grace coming back from Vegas soon enough and he was getting married to Steve. Maybe things did turn out for the best after all.


	30. Chapter 30

_One month later…_

*

"Why is he here?" Danny pointed over to Steve who was sat in the other leather arm chair beside his.

"The Governor has asked me to take you for your mandated psychological evaluation. You know it must be done before you can return to duty," the therapist said in even tones.

"I get that, but it still doesn't explain him," Danny pointed again and Steve just rolled his eyes. 

His therapist, Colette, continued on. "Governor Denning suggested it and I believe it could be beneficial."

"How? This is my review, what's he got to do with it?"

"You and the Commander have been partners for over three years, not to mention you're romantic relationship. I could make my decision on your return to work based solely on our past sessions but I wanted to get a feel for you when with your partner. I think he'll be able to offer valuable insight into how you're doing. "

Steve looked over at Danny with a smug grin and mouthed the word 'valuable' to him, making Danny roll his eyes. "You're forgetting what I talked to you about before. He's an animal. His head is screwed on backwards."

"This is classic, Danno," Steve put in and was about to continue when Danny put his hands up.

"Whoa, hey now, you know how I feel about that," he said and gave Steve a pointed look. 

"If you're going to call me an animal, then I'm going to use my nickname for you, too."

"It's not your nickname for me, it's Grace's that you co-opted without permission from either of us,"

"She gave me permission."

"When?" Danny asked incredulous. 

"Approximately three years ago. She's never had a problem with it."

"Is this how the two of you regularly interact?" Colette asked. 

"Yes." "No." Were answered simultaneously. 

"How about I ask a few simple questions?" Colette asked and waited on them both to agree before continuing. "Commander, when you met Danny, how did you feel about him?"

Danny raised his eyebrows a little, curious, but he didn't look at Steve at all, instead just ran a hand restlessly up and down his thigh. 

"Well," Steve sat straighter. "Danny was undercover when we met so I thought he was a hooker. He, uh, he was very convincing."

"And were you attracted to him when you believed that to be true?" Her eyes weren't giving anything away, there was no judgement in them. Danny still didn't want to look over at Steve, not sure if he'd put him off in answering truthfully.

"I was in the middle of a murder case, I didn't give it a huge amount of thought."

"My murder case," Danny put in, then backed off again and let Steve continue.

"Sure, maybe," Steve said. "I mean I was always attracted to him in some way. I'm not saying I was going to instantly jump his bones or anything."

"And you, Danny? How did you feel about Steve when you met him?"

"I thought he was an ass," Danny grumbled. "Pretty much told him to his face. I knew his reputation and he was stealing my case and, I thought, putting me in danger so, no, I didn't like him. In fact, I asked several times for him to, politely, go away." Steve snorted at the 'politely'.

"And after? Once you knew who the other actually was?"

"When I found out Danny was an undercover cop I was impressed," Steve admitted. "He was adept, loyal, competent. Stubborn. I could tell he was a good man, a good cop. That's the type of person I like to work with so I put out an olive branch, suggested we work the case together."

Colette nodded. "You didn't have a partner at the time, just your two teammates. Chin Ho Kelly and Officer Kono Kalakaua."

"Yes, that's correct. I'd recently lost a close colleague in the military and I'm… picky. When it comes to working closely with someone."

"And yet shortly after you met Danny you began working together and you both had to have sex multiple times to keep covers in tact and help provide the information you needed for a case. For someone who is picky about who they work with, that seems awfully fast. And awfully close."

"Yeah, well, like I said, I had a feeling about Danny and wait, I'm sorry, I thought this session was about him and his return to work?"

"It is. I'm curious about your partnership and how that works with you in a romantic relationship. Engaged to be married. You barely spend any time apart."

"So you want to know if one of us will snap because of that?" Danny spoke up.

"Is that what worries you?" She asked and he cursed inwardly at leaving himself open for such a question.

"No," he breathed. "Not anymore."

"Why is that?"

"Because one of us already did kind of snap. Me. And he's still here," Danny reached across between the chairs and took Steve's hand. "And he kept hold of me in every way that he could and I like to think I'd do the same if it were reversed."

"I know you would," Steve smiled at him and swung their hands a little between the chairs. He turn to give Colette a blinding smile. "I think we're good."

*

"So you're back?" Kono asked, hopeful. 

"Monday," Danny said. "Just as soon as the paperwork clears from everyone and the Governor signs off on it."

She moved in to hug him close and stepped back for Chin to do the same and give him his congratulations. 

"So are you really okay now or did you just do enough of a dance to convince all the doctors?" Chin asked, amusement in his eyes. 

Danny tilted his head a little and jutted his jaw out while putting his hands in his pockets. "I… well, I can tell a hawk from a handsaw."

"That's nice," Chin laughed. "Nice literary reference."

"I give it an A," Steve nodded, joining in. 

"Plus?" Danny asked.

"Minus," Steve wrinkled his nose and Danny rewarded him with a punch to his arm. 

"My head's doing fine, my bruises are fading, it's all good," Danny said. "It'll be good to get back to normal. A nice murder case, maybe a string of robberies. You got anything like that?"

Kono pressed her hands together. "I could offer you a stack of paperwork on our last case. I hear that's pretty normal."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I can hold out a couple more days until I'm officially back."

"Worth a try, cuz," Chin said, patting her shoulder as he turned away and headed to his office. 

"I thought for sure I was in luck there," she shook her head as she moved away with him. 

Danny followed Steve into his office and sat down on the armchair while Steve went around the desk and sat in his own chair. "It's going to be good having you back, partner. It's been too long without you here all the time."

"Thanks," Danny said as he crossed his legs. "I mean it. What I said in that session about you being here for me. It means a lot. Always will."

"I love you. I wouldn't be anywhere else."

"I love you, too," Danny grinned at him. 

"So I was thinking more about where we'll have the wedding and the Royal Hawaiian has this great beachfront they use-"

"Wait, hold on. Are you trying to torture me? Why would we get married on a beach?"

"Danny, this is Hawaii. People come to the Islands, on purpose mind you, to get married on a beach."

"All I'm hearing is that beaches are overcrowded with wedding parties. How is that incentive? Next you'll be wanting to wear flip flops for it."

"Actually, I figured we'd go barefoot."

"Barefoot? Oh, that's even better. Nothing says formal occasion like the lack of decent footwear."

"Are you really wanting this to be a big formal event? I thought you said you didn't want much because you'd been through the hassle before with Rachel. That's why I figured a small beach party, just those close to us, things like that."

Before Danny had a chance to respond, Chin knocked on the window and opened the door enough to pop his head through. 

"Guys, we've got a problem."

"I've been back two minutes," Danny griped. "Not even, really. I'm supposed to have the weekend before coming back."

"What is it?" Steve asked, getting to the point. 

"Frank Delano collapsed complaining of chest pains a couple of hours ago. Doctors at the prison ordered an ambulance to take him to Kings."

"How is this a problem? Sounds like good news to me," Danny said. 

"Except the ambulance never arrived. HPD found it abandoned in an alleyway. Both the EMTs were unconscious and the guards sent with him were both dead. Either someone took him or he escaped but either way, Delano's in the wind."

Danny gripped the arm of the couch. "Shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh..... the end?
> 
> thank you for all the kudos and comments along the way, it's been another fun ride :)


End file.
